USA: Cameroon Lawyer Gets 5 Years For Asylum Scheme

Silver Spring man Patrick G. Tzeuton operated law office on Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road

by Fred Lewis (Originally published in Gazette.net)

A Silver Spring attorney who represented hundreds of clients in immigration matters before U.S. immigration officials was sentenced Wednesday to more than five years in prison and three years of supervised release for immigration fraud and other related charges, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland in Greenbelt.

Patrick G. Tzeuton, 42, who operated the Law Offices of Patrick Tzeuton & Associates at 8121 Georgia Ave., Suite 102 in Silver Spring and 8401 Colesville Road, was charged with conspiracy to prepare false asylum applications, immigration fraud and obstruction of official immigration proceedings.

During the four-week trial, Tzeuton's clients testified that he, along with his office manager Henri Nzone, prepared false asylum applications, complete with fraudulent supporting affidavits and documents they then presented to U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service officials, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Executive Office for Immigration Review, according to the news release.

Witnesses also testified that the asylum applications lied about the alleged basis for the immigrant's fear of persecution in his or her home country, the data and circumstances of the immigrant's entry into the U.S. and the immigrant's marital status, spouse and children, according to the release.

In some cases, the applications had nearly identical affidavits, according to the news release. Tzeuton allegedly coached the immigrants on what to say in their applications and prepared them for meetings with immigration officials and court appearances.

Nzone, also known as Henri Marcel Nzone Nguessa, 44, of Spencerville, pleaded guilty June 4 to conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and obstruction of official immigration proceedings. His sentencing has not yet been scheduled, according to the release.

Comments

[elias sone ayuk]

The struggle to tackle is always double the trouble.To leave cameroon for the united states once a lifetime dream,overwhelms rational thoughts,that this can be just the beginning of yet another struggle and trouble. when faced with reality,the mind fills up with despair, and any attempt to ease the struggle and better the trouble is welcome.afterall they get stuck they can´t leave and they can´t stay freely yet they have to survive.

[UnitedstatesofAfrica]

...and in Maryland (aka small cameroon) of all places. lol.

[Jam]

There are some very successful personalities from Cameroon in the US and some not so successful.
If those fighting to go to the US were well aware of the problems MOST face when they get there , the willingness to go through thick and thin to get there would not be the same

Jam