Cathedral Bible College Founder Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Immigration and Other Federal Fraud Charges

The founder of the Cathedral Bible College, Reginald Wayne Miller, has pleaded guilty in federal court to numerous federal fraud charges, including violation of labor laws and visa fraud.

The 65-year-old former preacher has pleaded guilty to four felony charges for forcing foreign students on his “campus” to work for low or no wages, or face deportation. Specifically, Miller pleaded guilty to two felony charges of visa fraud, a form of defrauding the federal government, and two felony charges of fraud in labor contracting. He also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of willful failure to pay minimum wage.

All of the federal fraud charges combined could lead to a 41-year sentence for the already older Miller, as well as over $1 million in fines.

Miller was arrested on March 21st on the federal fraud charges after some former students filed a criminal complaint regarding his labor practices.

Prosecutors state that Miller made false statements on work documents, called F-1 documents, which are submitted to the federal government to determine if a foreign student is eligible to work in the US. Miller claimed that the students he “hired” would not work more than 20 hours per week, but their work hours exceeded full-time employment hours. He also claimed that the students would receive educational instruction with their work, but they did not.

The criminal complaint filed against Miller alleged that, instead of providing educational instruction to his foreign students, Miller forced them to work on the Marion campus of the Cathedral Bible College, and at his personal residence, sometimes for as little as $25 per week for more than 40 hours of work. To keep the students working, Miller threatened to cancel their visas, and send them back to their home countries.

The foreign students, who testified anonymously, claimed that Miller’s class offerings “were not real,” and the main focus of the college was having students work full-time hours under fraudulent circumstances, including visa fraud.

Miller was released on a $250,000 bond. No sentencing hearing has yet been set for the federal fraud charges.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help Defend Federal Fraud Charges

The law broadly defines wire fraud as devising or intending to devise a scheme to defraud others of money or property under false or fraudulent pretenses, representations or promises by means of electronic communications, or “wires.” Because they typically involve interstate matters, most wire fraud cases are considered federal crimes with convictions carrying heavy fines, prison sentences of up to 20 years, or both.

Our federal criminal defense lawyers handle cases involving:

• Fraudulent insurance claims
• Bond issuances and investment schemes
• Falsifying loan applications
• Check fraud schemes
• Bribes or kickbacks
• False advertising or misrepresentation in sales transactions
• making a false statement to a loan officer or bank official
• deceiving a bank
• falsifying loan documents
• check fraud
• forging check signatures
• ATM fraud
• Embezzlement
• And other federal charges.

If you, your loved one, or your corporation has been contacted by a law enforcement officer about federal fraud charges, you should contact the Strom Law Firm, LLC immediately. The Strom Law Firm offers free, confidential consultations so you can discuss the facts of your case with impunity. Contact us today.803.252.4800