Who is Vinod Dodomani? Indian-American immigration lawyer faces $250,000 fine on fraud charges involving Indian nationals
A U.S.-based Indian-origin immigration attorney faces a fine of more than $250,000 after federal authorities accused him of filing fraudulent asylum documents on behalf of his clients.Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has filed five notices of intent to fine attorney Vinod Doddamani, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Tuesday. The lawsuit involves 32 immigration cases in which he submitted 64 fraudulent documents, according to the agency.The Department of Homeland Security claimed that Dodamani’s multiple asylum applications were “identical or nearly identical in language and content and contained the same or nearly identical factual narratives and supporting details regarding the alleged persecution.”The agency said the documents were submitted on behalf of Indian nationals. In a post on“Our message to immigration attorneys is clear: If you engage in fraud, you will be held accountable.”This is the first time the Department of Homeland Security has sought financial penalties against lawyers accused of filing fraudulent asylum claims, according to U.S. officials.The move comes after the department’s top attorney issued a directive last month directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to pursue attorneys suspected of filing false asylum claims in immigration court.“Fraudulent asylum claims threaten the security of Americans by overwhelming our burdened immigration system and delaying the deportation of dangerous criminal aliens,” said James Percival, general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security.He added: “By holding [Doddamani] In order to be responsible, we send a message to other immigration attorneys across the country who engage in fraudulent practices: Your days of abusing and defrauding our immigration system are over. “Percival also posted on Today we fined a lawyer more than $255,000 for representing Indian nationals in multiple fraud claims.
So who is Vinod Dodomani?
According to U.S. attorneys. com, Dodomani was born in India and later became a German citizen. He has lived in South Florida since 2009 and describes himself as “internationally raised.”He has an extensive academic background, holding four degrees. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and later completed law school at Chapman University. During his legal studies, he specialized in intellectual property, entertainment, international and immigration law.Dodomani is also multilingual, saying he speaks ten languages, including German, French, Polish, Italian, Spanish and Hindi.He has served as a patent, trademark, technology and immigration attorney. His biography states that he has represented clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), appeared in immigration courts across the United States, and handled deportation and deportation cases.Prior to entering the legal industry, Doddamani worked as an IT consultant and systems analyst for several large organizations. His resume lists work experience at companies and institutions including Sony Pictures Entertainment, Credit Suisse, PIMCO, Capital Group, AEG and the Simon Wiesenthal Center.His legal career also includes patent law, trademark prosecution and intellectual property matters. He is admitted to the bars of Illinois and the District of Columbia and has worked in private law practice and intellectual property consulting.According to his Facebook profile, Vinod studied physics, chemistry and mathematics at St. Joseph’s College in Bangalore, India. He lives in Los Angeles, California.
