UPDATE: Federal Complaint Calls Private College in Pleasanton a Sham
A complaint to forfeit properties filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office in San Francisco accuses Tri-Valley President Susan Su, a Pleasanton resident, of using the school to defraud students and the Department of Homeland Security.
The U.S. Attorney's Office has filed a complaint alleging that a small private school in Pleasanton called Tri-Valley University is part of an elaborate scheme to defraud students and the Department of Homeland Security.
According to a complaint filed Jan. 19, which aims to forfeit the school property and several homes in Pleasanton and Livermore, the school's president, Susan Su of Pleasanton, and her associates created a "sham university," that helped foreign nationals in "illegally acquiring student immigration status" authorizing them to stay in the United States.
The complaint said Tri-Valley University got approval to issue student visa documents based on false information in 2009. The documents have allowed some students to stay in the United States on F-1 student status, which is for those temporarily in the country for academic purposes.
The school has made millions of dollars in tuition fees, according to the documents, some from students who may not have been legitimately taking classes. Investigators found more than half of the students reported living in one apartment at 555 El Camino Real in Sunnyvale. This was, allegedly, to conceal that many students do not live in California, court documents say.
To maintain F-1 status, students must prove they are making progress in "completing a course of study" and that "physical attendance is required."
According to teachers and students Patch has spoken with, the bulk of classes offered at Tri-Valley University are online. Its main office is located in a business park on Boulder Court and its website states that in April 2010 it purchased a building that featured a library, a faculty-student area, classrooms and research labs.
The school's website describes itself as a "Christian Higher Education Institution aiming to offer rigorous and excellent quality academic programs in the context of Christian faith and world view." It advertises that students can earn degrees from bachelor's to doctorates in engineering, business, law and health sciences.
According to investigators, the school had 1,555 immigrant students on F-1 visas as of September 2010.
The complaint states that Su allegedly committed mail fraud, visa fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.
Calls to the school on Wednesday and Thursday went unanswered.
On Wednesday, federal agents from the U.S. Homeland Security department descended on Pleasanton to investigate properties owned by Su. The properties included the Tri-Valley University offices, one home on Victoria Ridge Court and another at 1371 Germano Way, in the gated Ruby Hill community.
The Ruby Hill home had been in foreclosure several weeks ago, say local real estate agents. Su bought the property in mid-December for $1.8 million. The sale was an "REO" — a bank-transacted, "real-estate owned" post-foreclosure sale.
When the five-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath home was constructed in 2005, it sold for nearly $2.7 million, according to public records.
Officials from both the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have declined to comment on the case, saying that the investigation is ongoing.
Su is named as the sole defendant in the complaint, and all parties are scheduled to appear in at the U.S. District Court in San Francisco on April 27 at 1:30 p.m.
The California Bureau of Consumer Affairs confirmed that Tri-Valley University is currently not approved for operation.
Russ Heimerich, spokesperson for the bureau, said the agency denied the school's application to operate because it was found that it did not have accreditation from a national crediting agency.
After Pleasanton Patch published a story about the raid Wednesday, dozens of students began e-mailing the site and posting questions and comments online asking for advice about everything from who to call to get help or how to avoid running afoul of immigration laws.
One student said she was vacationing in India and did not know what she should do when she returns to the United States.
Heimerich says students legitimately enrolled at the school can call the Bureau of Private, Post-Secondary Education at 1-888-370-7589 to learn more about their options.
He said the next steps or actions a student can take will depend on each individual.
According to a press release posted on the Immigration and Customs website, in August 2010 a woman who owned a language school in Florida was sentenced to 15 months in prison for student visa fraud. According to officials, that school illegally issued student visa related documents to foreign nationals. The woman had to forfeit $600,000 in assets and 116 students at the school were placed on administrative arrest for student visa violations.
Lori Haley, a spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said those who have immigration-related questions can check the agency's website for more information.
Susan C. Schena contributed to this report.
JoeF
5:45 pm on Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thank you for the update.
Do you happen to have a link to the complaint?
Christukerr
6:30 pm on Thursday, January 20, 2011
Joef is there any way that we can get out of this he'll? We have been questioned and was kept in observation since yesterday. Please let us
Know a rite way to get out of this freaking issue.
Christukerr
6:48 pm on Thursday, January 20, 2011
Can any one get us out of here, we are 4 guyz who recently got transferred to this TVU as we were forced by some of our stupid friends who were bothered abt the referral fee. I wud do anything who will help us to come out of this he'll... Joef I guess u seem like u have good knowledge and a straight forward person, please help us please
JoeF
8:00 pm on Thursday, January 20, 2011
Well, at this point, the only thing you can do is to get a really good immigration lawyer. I am sure all the good immigration lawyers (and the not-so-good ones as well) know about this issue by now.
The situation is very grave for every student involved. It can't be overstated. Deportation is a real risk.
Sorry I can't help more, but I have warned about this particular fraud since April 2010, when it came to my attention. It took rather long to blow up, though.
victim
9:16 pm on Thursday, January 20, 2011
Victim,
I know few guys from the same university. JoeF wat is safe is it safe to go back to the home country for the guys who has not been questioned by the dhs so far.Let us know how abt going back to home country.. and Christukerr wat were you questioned and cant u return back to home country.. meeru telugu maatlaada thaara...please do let us know JoeF can we go back to home conntry..many of my friends are alsoo from same uni
Elizabeth D
9:42 pm on Thursday, January 20, 2011
@ Victim and all other students at TVU, I'm hoping this will help those who are in the US. The Better Buisness Bureau is an consumer agency that accredidates businesses, charities, and services in the US. Consumers can log complaints against them, and they have specific standards to be accredited.
http://www.bbb.org/us/Find-Business-Reviews/#middle-result
Under "Type of Business" put "immigration lawyer" and use your city as your reference. It will bring up a list of lawyers in your area that can be trusted (Won't verify their expertise just their legality).
You can also check for universities on the web-site. When I was looking for an on-line university that is where I looked before contacting any university. I am not an immigrant, but my husband is, and I was a Visa student in Canada from the US. My sympathies for all the students caught up in the mess. While I don't agree with the "tone" JoeF used, he is absolutely correct. Save your money and apply to an accredited univeristy. It may take longer, but you will not be taking a risk with your money, your career, and your future. Unfortunately, the US is home to many who will take advantage of your lack of knowledge on US law and desire to come to the US. Please do your research, get a lawyer, because ICE is not going to help you stay in the country, they will enforce the immigration laws. Fair or not fair, it is what will happen. Do not sign anything from ICE without a lawyer.
Good Luck
JoeF
10:57 am on Friday, January 21, 2011
Repost from the previous news page on TVU.
AILA, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, has a lawyer referral service, if I remember right. http://www.aila.org
As for my "tone", I am known to be rather blunt. I happen to think that it is more helpful in the long run than sugar-coating things. Sugar-coating only delays the inevitable...
"It may take longer, but you will not be taking a risk with your money, your career, and your future."
And that's actually my main issue. Why in the world would anybody seeing eyes risk their career and future in the US by signing up with such an obvious fraud? Even just a cursory glance at TVU website told me that they are fake. They claim to provide "excellent quality academic programs", but can't even write correct English sentences on their website? Come on...
So, I stand by my assertion that everybody who signed up with them must have known that they were fake.
Christukerr
9:50 am on Friday, January 21, 2011
No one ever told me neither warned me, I was all confused abd started fighting with her abt the transefer back to my old school. She was keep on saying she was busy and have no time to talk to us or no time to transefer me back... This is what happened... But I came to know that some one from same university did all this to us, also heard that he did this Coz some one offered him something and he had an issue with that lady su.who ever told to Dhs or any one he did not tell them that students has nothing to do with it. He should have told them
To catch hold of those who are behind this, but not innocent students. I pray god that every one should be safe and sound.
JoeF
10:56 am on Friday, January 21, 2011
You heard wrong.
Ms. Su apparently sent out such an email. She is lying, of course.
TVU would have gotten shut down sooner or later anyway, since they were such an obvious scam.
Do not believe anything Ms. Su says. She took your money to buy a $1.8M house...
mlkjr
10:14 am on Friday, January 21, 2011
Wow! I've been following the comments posted since the previous articles on this site and I'm just left incredulous with the responses from the affected students.
I'm pretty sure (and it seems like even some of the students have admitted in their replies) that many of those who enrolled at TVU knew that it was a fraudulent school. I realize that those affected might not like the truth, but it does no good to blame the messenger or continue to feign denial. Now it is the time to engage a lawyer and rationally determine your options not seek advice from some random Internet message boards or waste your time denigrating JoeF (who has so far only been stating facts, however harsh you may think it is).
If you knew the school was fraudulent, I'm not sure why you think you deserve sympathy. Please consider an alternative point of view: you wanted to come to the US to work and you cut corners to do so by engaging in what you knew was a likely fraudulent method. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of other foreigners and immigrants on the other hand have come to this country legally with non-fraudulent methods which probably cost more money, requires real hard work in studying, etc. Is that fair? Maybe those who did it legally deserve sympathy because they did it the harder or more costly way?
It is no wonder why immigration in this country is so bifurcated. This country needs good talent, but clearly there are those who cut corners and cheated to come here. Is that fair?
JoeF
12:03 pm on Friday, January 21, 2011
Thank you.
I am used to verbal abuse by people who continue to close their eyes before the facts...
So, that doesn't bother me much. Blaming the messenger is a time-honored "tradition"...
From what I've been told on trackitt.com, TVU actually may have had agents in India recruiting people to come to the "land of milk and honey". These people never set foot in the university proper, but got jobs in shady consulting companies.
Ms. Su, in a post on trackitt.com under the handle RisingSun, actually admitted to colluding with employers to get around the H-1B immigration laws...
Pavan
11:43 am on Friday, January 21, 2011
Hello All,
I got into this trap about two months ago when my OPT got over, I had to take admission somewhere, But the moment I found out this university is Fraud I got back to my university and took my admission.
I sent several emails for transferring back my sevis from TVU to my university and 100s of calls but no response. Now my H1 receipt has come and its on the edge. I have no idea what to do.
Please help.
rash
11:54 am on Friday, January 21, 2011
@Pavan , so Your H1 started before 19th of Jan
Pavan
11:57 am on Friday, January 21, 2011
@Rash I received my H1 receipt on 18th Jan.
rash
12:10 pm on Friday, January 21, 2011
@pavan , are we talking about the approved receipt. i too have kind of same suitation , my Approved H1 was recived on jan 13th , so i feel we are kind of safe here. What are u worrying about now.
Pavan
12:11 pm on Friday, January 21, 2011
@rash No Its not, These people going to inquire about our current status technically we do not have any. Our H1 is not going to approve, My lawyer said he`s going to fight in court though but i do not think it would work.
I am trying to get back to my wife`s status - she is on F1 right now at different school.
rash
12:29 pm on Friday, January 21, 2011
Pavan : i got approval H1 on jan 13 2011, when i have the official recipt from USCIS saying that you are approved for H1 and technically my F1 status was terminated as soon as i got my start date of H1 , and 19th Jan they have seezed all the sevis. i guess this should some positive sence for me.
i assuming even u got ur start date on 18th jan 2011
Pavan
12:31 pm on Friday, January 21, 2011
Rash: I only have received a payment receipt so far.
rash
12:39 pm on Friday, January 21, 2011
pavan: then i guess we both are in a diff page,
hmm, since you have come so far , i really hope you get your H1 too. good luck my friend.
Pavan
12:46 pm on Friday, January 21, 2011
Thanks bro..here everyone needs blessing..
jose
3:59 pm on Friday, January 21, 2011
I just got admission on 17th and college closed on 18th...
And my old university told me to take admission with them..
Is it possible to transfer my SEVIS from tri valley university..
Will i get admission.....???
Please help me
JoeF
4:17 pm on Friday, January 21, 2011
What was your old university?
As far as I know, no real, accredited university would recommend a non-accredited diploma mill.
jose
4:21 pm on Friday, January 21, 2011
I was a full time student of National university San diego and completed my Graduated
and applied for Phd in this university....
Shall i go a head with their process or getting admission or should i wait for Monday to get the update from the government
Marnette Federis
8:55 am on Saturday, January 22, 2011
To students and professors,
I'm looking to interview students and professors from TVU who are in the Bay Area. I'd like to you know your experience with the university and how this investigation is impacting your life. Perhaps in telling your story, you may be able to help others when it comes to making decisions about where to study. In order to be interviewed, you must be based in the Bay Area and/or the Tri-Valley Area (San Ramon, Pleasanton, Livermore, and Dublin) and you should be willing to share your full name. Thanks so much and please let me know if you're interested: marnette@patch.com.
I'm also trying to learn more about the immigration process for students, it seems complicated and I would like to learn more. Thanks!
usher
12:13 pm on Saturday, January 22, 2011
I graduated(MBA) from an accredited university and n later I wanted to do PhD... So I thought that I can join this university for sometime ( as I have low funds ) and later shift to some university which is good and get my credits transferred but now I think I took a wring decision...I enquired wid a lawyer and he told me that I can change my status to H1 or F1.. But to talk in detail he wanted me to come on Monday... But I just have a small query...If I opt for H1 Will the filing be done on my
previous my MBA degree...? And until my H1 is approved ll I b in legal status ??
ratan
10:45 am on Monday, January 24, 2011
@joeF ...
I did MS from florida university and took OPT .It was valid until Oct 2009. I had a grace period of 60 days to stay in US after OPT gets finished.But somebody suggested me to change to TVU and so I did ...I was TVU student till Feb 2010 ..later I understood that these people were complete fraud and I went back to my country as I dint wanted to be illegal..Now if I wanna come back to US again will I face prob as my sevis was previously with TVU ..??
JoeF
4:19 pm on Monday, January 24, 2011
I think you should be ok, since you left them way before the raid.
But it may end up as a note in your file with the immigration authorities. Whenever there is something unusual in the past, I suggest making sure everything from now on is watertight. And a consultation with a lawyer doesn't hurt, either. I do know that several US-based immigration lawyers have branches in some other countries.
ratan
12:03 am on Tuesday, January 25, 2011
@joeF
thanks...I will try to reach some lawyer after all this mess is cleared and the poor students are in good condition...anyways I wanted to ask you , y dint u try to reach out all the students of TVU and tell them ...I have many frnds of mine who are in TVU and are int his situation now ...I mean no body would check the blogs....You should have figured out some way to reach them ...I know it sounds silly but u know they would be more aware of this situation i beliee ...
JoeF
3:18 pm on Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Sorry, that's not possible... Unless you had provided me with a list of the email addresses of each of them...
All they had to do was to enter "Tri-Valley University" in a search engine. In Google, the threads discussing the TVU fraud were showing up on the first page (not anymore now, due to all the news reports.)
It was THAT easy. People enter queries into Google every day. Why not when considering something as significant as signing up with a college?
usher
12:58 pm on Thursday, January 27, 2011
http://livermore.patch.com/articles/update-federal-complaint-calls-private-college-in-pleasanton-a-sham
Shah Peerally
10:48 pm on Wednesday, February 2, 2011
There is a so called gag oder on the students not to talk to the media....I do not really know where this information is coming from...Please enlighten me...
http://immigrationlegalblog.com/2011/02/so-called-gag-order-being-issued-against-the-tvu-students-according-to-times-now/
Please support the TVU Victims http://peerallylaw.com
Shah Peerally
11:02 pm on Wednesday, February 2, 2011
http://www.shahpeerally.com/excellent-debate-on-the-tvu-issues/