Posted on 08/27/2002 3:42:38 PM PDT by knighthawk
MIAMI (AP) - A Pakistani was sentenced Monday to time served for illegally entering the United States on a visa bought from a corrupt U.S. Embassy worker in the Persian Gulf state of Qatar.
Mohammad Imran Butt faces deportation to his homeland after pleading guilty to illegal possession of a visa. He was sentenced to the time spent in custody since his arrest June 30.
Butt and a friend bought two of at least 71 visas sold through the embassy. More than 30 visa recipients have been detained, and three are believed to have terrorist links.
Fraudulent visas were issued to citizens of Jordan, Bangladesh, Syria and Pakistan in Doha, Qatar, from April 2000 to July 2001, U.S. officials say.
Butt said he spent $10,000 on a six-month visa in April 2001 and arrived in Miami with his friend the following month. Prosecutors have not linked the two to terrorism.
Can't imagine that he'd be the 'butt' of too many jokes, huh...
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