A Folsom resident, Marcus Taslim has been handed a 15-month prison sentence for engaging in visa fraud, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith. Taslim, who is 70 years old, has also been ordered to provide $39,000 in restitution to the victim he brought over from Indonesia under false pretenses, as court records suggest, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
In December 2018, the 70-year-old brought the victim to the United States to care for his mother, manipulating her visa application with fabricated claims about the nature of the employment offer. He presented to a consular officer, that the caregiver would stay for a solitary month, be remunerated at California’s minimum wage and overtime rates, paid bi-weekly, and had already received a month's salary upfront, these statements were revealed as falsehoods by the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement.
The reality of her employment was burdensome: seven days a week, early morning to night shifts, for about half a year. In stark contrast to the promises made, Taslim paid the victim much less than the stated wages, and withheld payments, as well as her passport, which inhibited her from leaving the employment situation. She managed to exit only with assistance from the local authorities in June 2019, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California reports that the investigation was conducted by the Diplomatic Security Service of the Department of State. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong, took on the prosecution responsibilities for this case.
