T.O. man sentenced in recent case involving visa fraud

A Thousand Oaks man, an employee of an immigration law firm based in Sherman Oaks, was sentenced recently for filing fraudulent employment visa applications. Others involved in the fraud have also been sentenced or await sentencing.

Steven James Rodriguez, 41, a senior associate at the law firm formerly known as Korenberg, Abramowitz & Feldun, was sentenced to three years probation with the condition that he serve six months of home detention with electronic monitoring and perform 200 hours of community service. Rodriguez pleaded guilty last fall to one count of making false statements to federal agents. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson.

A former equity partner at the firm, Philip Abramowitz, 54, of Agoura Hills pleaded guilty to two counts of visa fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. He was scheduled to be sentenced March 24.

Heidi Poepping, 45, of Moorpark, a paralegal at KAF, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit visa fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced April 21.