Ex-Texas School Chief Admits Falsifying Immigration Records
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NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A former administrator with the Garland Independent School District has admitted he received kickbacks and other benefits by falsifying immigration documents so that teachers from Latin America and elsewhere could work in his district.
Sixty-three-year-old Victor Leos pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to conspiracy to commit false statements on immigration documents.
Leos was the human resources director for Garland schools and prosecutors say that from 2007 to 2012 he worked with outside recruiters to bring foreign teachers to Garland on H1-B visas — temporary visas designed to bring skilled foreign workers to the U.S.
He submitted false statements indicating qualified U.S. applicants could not be found for open positions so the bilingual teachers from abroad were necessary.
It was alleged that Leos would fly to the Philippines, for example, all expenses paid. A female math-teaching candidate might pay a recruiter $1,000 for an interview. If Leos successfully recruited her, she paid the recruiter another $5,000. Once in North Texas, Leos' stepson, Paul Reudiger, would rent her a house along with other foreign teachers. And the now defunct Yu Law firm -- where his stepdaughter Amy Reudiger had worked as a billing clerk -- would handle visa issues.
The teachers also may have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in visa fees they didn't owe.
An attorney investigating on behalf of the GISD said, "The entire time that teacher is with Garland ISD, Mr. Leos holds complete power over her visa status."
The foreign teachers Leos recruited later were denied citizenship and forced to leave the U.S.
Leos is scheduled for sentencing in August and faces up to five years in prison.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
