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A Chicago attorney has been indicted on charges of conspiring to file fraudulent employment documents to secure U.S. work visas for Filipino nurses. The federal grand jury indictment, announced Thursday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, accuses Gerardo Dean, 58, and Felicitas "Felice" Cordero, 76, of running an immigration fraud scheme.

Allegations of Fraudulent Visa Filings

Prosecutors allege that Dean, of Park Ridge, Illinois, and Cordero, of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, collaborated to submit false information to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The scheme reportedly involved inflating job titles and duties on visa applications to make applicants appear more qualified under visa categories like the H-1B and EB-2 programs.

The H-1B program allows U.S. companies to temporarily employ foreign workers with specialized expertise, while the EB-2 program enables foreign nationals with advanced degrees or equivalent qualifications to pursue permanent resident status.

The indictment claims the defendants directed visa applicants to misrepresent their job roles during overseas consular interviews, ensuring their testimony aligned with the falsified paperwork. The alleged fraudulent activity spanned from 2013 to early 2015.

Monetary Gains and Legal Denials

Dean and Cordero allegedly collected money from both the foreign nationals they assisted and the company employing the nurses. Prosecutors have charged the pair with one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and three counts of immigration fraud.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty during their arraignment Wednesday. Dean’s attorney, Vadim Glozman, dismissed the government’s claims as unfounded.

“Gerardo Dean has lawfully represented clients for nearly two decades, helping many come to the United States to live out their American dream,” Glozman said in an email. He called the allegations "stale and baseless," adding that they set a "dangerous and slippery slope" for attorneys relying on client-provided information.

Legal Proceedings and Details of the Indictment

The 14-page indictment outlines four separate instances of alleged fraudulent activity involving different individuals. Federal prosecutors claim the defendants manipulated visa filings to grant foreign nationals access to the United States under false pretenses.

The name of Dean’s law firm was not disclosed in the indictment, but state records list him as an active attorney with the Law Offices of Gerardo L. Dean LLC, based in Chicago’s Jefferson Park neighborhood. The name of Cordero’s employer, a company operating skilled nursing facilities, has not been revealed.

Next Steps in the Case

Federal prosecutors, represented by Prashant Kolluri, declined further comment on the case. Dean and Cordero are expected to fight the charges in court, with Glozman vowing to take the case to trial.