Thai Ginger owner sentenced for immigration scheme
February 23, 2010
A judge sentenced the owner of the Thai Ginger restaurant chain, Issaquah resident Varee Bradford, to six months in prison last week for her role in what authorities described as a long-running immigration scam. Read more
Thai Ginger owner sentenced for immigration scheme
February 19, 2010
NEW — 6:30 p.m. Feb. 19, 2010
A judge sentenced the owner of the Thai Ginger restaurant chain, Issaquah resident Varee Bradford, to six months in prison Friday for her role in what authorities described as a long-running immigration scam.
Bradford, 44, recruited U.S. citizens to enter sham marriages with Thai citizens in order for the immigrants to obtain legal status to stay in the United States. She pleaded guilty last October to conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and three counts of fraud relating to immigration documents. Agents arrested Bradford for the immigration scheme last June at her Issaquah home.
“You used your money and position to circumvent the law,” U.S. District Court Judge Ricardo S. Martinez told Bradford during the sentencing hearing. “This mocks the efforts of immigrants who work hard and wait years to obtain citizenship.”
Thai Ginger operates restaurants in Klahanie, Bellevue, Redmond and Seattle.
