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Renowned NYC Washington Square Park Chess Hustler 'Chichi' Detained by ICE

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Re: Renowned NYC Washington Square Park Chess Hustler 'Chichi' Detained by ICE

#11
post #3

[flagged]

He served his time and hasn't been in trouble since. Do you not believe in rehabilitation?

I understand the sentiment, and would expect that grace be given to American citizens, but the USA has millions of people applying for visas and citizenship that don't have fraud convictions.

And it's not the cold war any more, collecting chess champions doesn't give quite the same national prestige in 2026 as it did in 1980.

Re: Renowned NYC Washington Square Park Chess Hustler 'Chichi' Detained by ICE

#12
post #9

"In 2014, he and his sister Uchechi Onyekwere were charged in a $13 million medical fraud scheme. ... According to the FBI's report, the operation took place from approximately 2008 through at least the end of 2013." "As alleged, the defendants used fictitious companies and fraudulent claims to steal very real health care dollars," said then-United States Attorney Loretta Lynch in 2014. "The Medicare and Medicaid sys…

You are saying that if you serve time in prison for a crime, as he did, then you are ineligible to naturalize, forever? If serving time in prison isn't sufficient, what else should he have done? He has a child who was born in the US. What should be done about that?

It truly sucks for his kid who is a US citizen - just like how I became a US citizen even though my parents had to naturalize.

But millions of immigrants naturalize in the US without committing crimes.

It isn't that hard - don't commit fraud in a country you are not a citizen of.

Re: Renowned NYC Washington Square Park Chess Hustler 'Chichi' Detained by ICE

#13
post #5

With all due sympathy and wishes that he can continue his career in America, I have to say that a medical fraud billing charge is unfortunately going to make it much harder for him to fight the legal battle.

It also makes it harder for so many immigrants who are following the straight path.

There are so many hustlers and that forces the American system to be so antagonistic for those who do follow the rules.

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