Mercer County Couple Admit Conspiring to Submit Fraudulent Asylum Applications

TRENTON, N.J. - A Mercer County, New Jersey, couple today admitted their roles in a conspiracy to prepare and submit fraudulent asylum applications, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Zuwairul Ameer, aka "Zuwairul Thowfeek," 61, and Claudette Ameer, aka "Claudette Pieries," 63, both of Lawrence Township, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp in Trenton federal court to count one of an indictment charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Applicants for asylum in the United States must show that they have suffered persecution in their country of origin on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, or have a well-founded fear of persecution if they were to return to that country. The process requires an application that is reviewed by an asylum officer with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), who makes an initial determination whether to grant asylum. If the application has been prepared by someone other than the applicant, the preparer must disclose his or her name and address and must sign the application.

Since at least 2007, Zuwairul Ameer has been in the business of preparing fraudulent asylum application on behalf of his non-citizen clients. Claudette Ameer has managed that business, acting as the primary point of contact for clients, arranging meetings, and mailing completed applications to USCIS. With Claudette Ameer's assistance, Zuwairul Ameer met with clients, listened to their stories of mistreatment in their countries of origin, and drafted applications on their behalf that were fraudulent because they: exaggerated the stories of mistreatment; falsely omitted Zuwairul Ameer's name as the preparer; or both.

The conspiracy charge to which the Ameers have pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 25, 2025.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, New York Field Office, under the direction of under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge James Smith, and immigration officers with of the USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate at the New York Asylum Office, under the direction of Director Mathew Varghese, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.