Former Wakefield Resident Sentenced

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI —Nimon Naphaeng, 36, a Thai citizen who resided in Wakefield, was sentenced Monday to 27 months in federal prison. According to the U.S. Attorney's office, he was running an immigration fraud scheme that defrauded more than 320 individuals, most of them immigrants, of at least $400,000. The actual amount may have exceeded $518,000, the office said. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 6 to seven (7) counts of mail fraud and two (2) counts of visa fraud.

According to court records, Naphaeng filed false asylum applications on behalf of people who did not ask for asylum but who had paid him to obtain a work permit (i.e., an Employment Authorization Document). He admitted to the court that he advertised on the Internet and in flyers posted in Thai restaurants around the United States that, in addition to helping with tax returns, he could obtain EAD cards for Thai nationals. He collected a fee between approximately $1,500 and $2,500 per applicant. He admitted that he never told his clients that he would file asylum applications on their behalf in order to obtain the EAD card. The cards would entitle the holders to U.S. government benefits, including a social security number, driver’s license, and if otherwise qualified, financial benefits, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

He'll be required to repay his victims. At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith ordered a provisional amount of restitution of $400,000. The final amount of restitution will be determined subject to additional victims being identified and additional court filings over the next 90 days. During the investigation, the government seized $285,789.31 from Naphaeng. The forfeited funds will be applied toward restitution.

Naphaeng, who was arrested and ordered detained on Feb. 22, 2015, also faces deportation at the end of his prison term.

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