Huntingdon Valley Lawyer Michael Choi Guilty of Green Card Scam

A federal jury found attorney Michael Choi, 55, of Huntingdon Valley,  and his client, Jong Soon Park, 48, of Blue Bell, guilty of conspiring to violate the federal immigration laws, according to U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger, in court on Friday, Aug. 26. 

Choi was also convicted of five counts of making false statements to the government, and two counts of filing false tax returns for the years 2005 and 2006. Choi failed to report substantial income from his law firm. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for November 22, 2011.
 
Three business owners, Sung Mahn Gang, Hee Chan Bang and Keun S. Hwang testified that they joined Choi and his firm, Choi and Associates, P.C., located in Elkins Park, to conspire to defraud the government and make false statements to the United States. 

Defendants and numerous immigration clients of Choi testified that they arranged for Choi's alien clients to fraudulently obtain green cards so they could remain in the country.

Choi's former wife, Sandra Oh, said Choi provided cash and legal services to business owners, including his co-defendants, to coerce them into signing petitions falsely stating that their business intended to employ Choi's alien clients.

The jury found Choi guilty of filing false income tax returns for the years 2005 and 2006 that failed to report substantial additional income from Choi’s law firm. Choi faces a maximum possible sentence of 36 years in prison and a fine of up to $2 million; defendant Jong Soon Park faces a maximum possible sentence of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.