Nepal Police have arrested two individuals accused of defrauding people by falsely promising to facilitate their immigration to the United States. The suspects, identified as 29-year-old Bishal Thakur from Bideha Municipality-5, Dhanusha, and 33-year-old Ramesh Kumar Thakur from Siraha Municipality-8, allegedly swindled NPR 2.1 million (approximately $15,800) from two victims.
The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office confirmed the arrests and stated that the duo had been handed over to the Department of Foreign Employment for legal proceedings.
This incident follows the recent arrest of 37-year-old Surendra B.K. from Shahid Lakhan Rural Municipality-7, Gorkha, who allegedly defrauded a victim of approximately $75,000 with similar false promises of U.S. immigration. Surendra was arrested in Kathmandu-14 after failing to deliver on his assurances.
Fraudulent schemes offering U.S. immigration have been on the rise in Nepal, with scammers exploiting the aspirations of individuals seeking better opportunities abroad. Victims are often deceived with false promises of work visas, student visas, or permanent residency in exchange for large sums of money.
Additionally, human traffickers have been facilitating illegal migration by smuggling Nepalis into the U.S. through Mexico. Desperate individuals reportedly pay up to $100,000 per person for this dangerous and unlawful route, which involves perilous journeys through multiple countries. Many face the risk of arrest, detention, or even death.
U.S. Border Patrol data reveals that 2,660 Nepali nationals were apprehended attempting to enter the U.S. without visas during the first eight months of the last fiscal year, primarily via the U.S.-Mexico border. Monthly arrest figures include 610 in October 2023, 550 in November, 420 in December, 200 in January 2024, 230 in February, 160 in March, 310 in April, and 180 in May. Between October 2022 and May 2024, a total of 5,800 Nepalis were intercepted at the border, surpassing the 5,180 who entered illegally between 2014 and 2022.
The fiscal year 2023 saw the highest number of Nepali nationals—3,140—attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border without visas. Monthly figures for that year include 170 in October 2022, 220 in November, 320 in December, 140 in January 2023, 100 in February, 130 in March, 260 in April, 460 in May, 480 in June, 310 in July, 240 in August, and 330 in September. In contrast, only 1,490 Nepalis entered the U.S. illegally in fiscal year 2022 and 420 in 2021.
Under the Biden administration, approximately 8,000 Nepalis have attempted to enter the U.S. without visas, compared to 1,850 during the four years of the previous Trump administration. From 2014 to 2016, 460, 410, and 550 Nepalis entered the U.S. illegally, respectively. Many of these individuals paid thousands of dollars to human traffickers, with some being released into the U.S. while others were detained or deported.
