Regional center extension in EB-5 program is all set to fail as a powerful union may also oppose H.R. 616

Regional center owners and marketers who looked quite excited about H.R. 616 introduced by Jared Polis to extend regional centers in the EB-5 visa program may now feel quite anxious after learning that many law enforcement officers may end up asking Congress to oppose the proposed extension of the regional center bill due to money laundering, national security and securities fraud concerns (as well as a genuine dislike for Mayorkas, the Clintons and Harry Reid). It is believed that the ICE, SEC, USCIS - FDNS and FBI are also planning on opposing the bill, which makes it harder for Goodlatte and Polis to get the bill passed and signed into law.

As it is, law enforcement officers are opposing regional centers due to fraud and money laundering concerns and even SEC recommended that EB-5 visa investors should avoid regional centers, and with regional centers now poised to be kicked out of the EB-5 visa program, Genuine Direct Investment Businesses are the only route left.

WHY should EB-5 visa investors choose Genuine Direct Investment Businesses?

Since 2012, ICE has officially recommended banning regional centers from the EB-5 visa program and actually said "there can be no safeguards that can be put in place that will ensure the integrity of the regional center model." See link at https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2013/12/19/senate-section/article/s9001-2 

Even the SEC warns EB-5 visa investors to avoid regional centers.

What can EB-5 visa investors learn from these warnings?

As thousands of EB-5 visa investors have already learnt to their misfortune, regional centers usually commit securities fraud, violate securities laws and launder money. What most regional centers don't disclose is that EB-5 visa investors face almost certain capital loss, and more importantly, they don't disclose that most EB-5 visa investors do NOT get a permanent green card.

EB-5 visa investors need to remember that IT IS VERY HARD TO EARN MONEY AND VERY EASY TO BURN MONEY. A Genuine Direct Investment Business is the SAFEST, FASTEST and usually most PROFITABLE way to get an EB-5 visa.

A Genuine Direct Investment Business has the following characteristics:

It is 100% owned and controlled by the investor. This eliminates conflict of interest and significantly reduces the possibility of fraud. Even ICE, USA's biggest investigative agency says that all Regional centers usually commit fraud, conflict of interest and violations of securities laws (see http://www.smartbusinessbroker.com/EB5_ICE_fraud_memo.pdf)

It is in either a premium franchise such as Five Guys / KFC / Hertz etc. or in a solid non-franchise business such as banquet hall, used car lots, etc. If the business is a risky franchise such as Voodoo BBQ, Marcos Pizza, etc., it is unsafe. A franchise is suitable for investment only if it is on a major bank's list of approved franchises AND features in a list of top performing franchises (see http://www.slideshare.net/MohammedShaikh4/2012-top200 ) AND is recommended by an experienced business broker who owes a fiduciary duty to the EB-5 visa investor. Most franchises are unsuitable for EB-5 visa investors due to their inability to PROFITABLY generate 10 jobs, due to which capital losses are common with risky investments such as regional centers or Voodoo BBQ, Twistee Treat, E3 Investment, etc.

Genuine Direct Investment Businesses are easily saleable in the open market. For example, it is easy to quickly sell off a Five Guys or KFC Franchise in the open market, while there is no market for partnership or regional center securities, risky franchises such as Marcos Pizza / Voodoo BBQ / Twistee Treat, etc. due to which EB-5 visa investors are stuck for 5-9 years and have to PAY to sell their share. 

What are the advantages of choosing a Genuine Direct Investment Business to get the EB-5 visa?

The EB-5 visa investor has control and ownership of their business and corporate funds. This helps  eliminate conflict of interest and fraud, and results in higher earnings and capital gains.

The EB-5 visa investor usually earns 15-25% Returns annually, while regional centers offer measly returns of 1%, but have significant capital losses on exit.

The EB-5 visa investor usually earns solid capital gains of over 30% upon exit, while those who invest in risky franchises, partnerships and regional centers usually end up with capital losses.

The EB-5 visa investor has an easy exit strategy and can sell their business (usually for a profit) as soon as they get their permanent green card (I-829 approval),  while risky franchises, partnerships and regional centers lock in funds for 5-9 years.

It is easier get the I-526 approval (temporary green card) using a Genuine Direct Investment Business in comparison to regional centers.

Genuine Direct investment Businesses are usually able to help the EB-5 visa investor get their I-829 approved, whereas less than half of the EB-5 visa investors who chose regional centers, partnerships and risky franchises were able to get their I-829 approved.

There is usually no conflict of interest and fraud seen in a Genuine Direct Investment Business, whereas there is usually extensive conflict of interest and fraud to be found in regional centers, partnerships and risky franchises. An excellent example is how Joe Sloboda and Fred Burgess sold Voodoo BBQ franchises to EB-5 visa investors without disclosing the fact that they were the master franchisors and earned money on the back end.

EB-5 visa investors should avoid those who refuse to guarantee the following:

1.    Full disclosure of all material information.

2.    Freedom from fraud and conflict of interest.

3.    Full refund of Investor's fees in case you’re rejected by USCIS due to the service provider's fault or promoter's fault.

If you're an EB-5 visa investor interested in getting their EB-5 visa quickly, please contact us. You'll be really glad that you did.

Yours truly,

Mohammed Shaikh, Licensed RE and Business Broker (CA & FL)

Phone: +1 407 535 0616

Online: http://www.smartbusinessbroker.com  Skype:mohammed.shaikh

The "American Entrepreneurship and Investment Act of 2015" introduced by Jared Polis has no chance of passage.

Regional Center owners as well as their partners in crime failed in their attempt to get regional centers extended in the EB-5 program last year and are once again trying to get the regional center program extended, but this year looks to be the last year that regional centers will be in existence due to the following reasons:

1. Several law enforcement and government agencies such as IRS, SEC, DOS, ICE, USCIS, FBI, etc. are all vehemently opposing such an extension and are actively lobbying to get regional centers kicked out of the EB-5 visa program.
2. Republican Senators want payback against Harry Reid for the unusual and borderline illegal Alejandro Mayorkas appointment, and this is the ideal opportunity for them to kill 2 birds with one stone by showing the fraud committed by regional centers with Mayorkas' help in order to kick out Mayorkas AND permanently scuttle Harry Reid's career. 
3. GAO is conducting it's own separate investigation into the irregularities and efficiency of regional centers in the EB-5 visa program, and the result is expected to be extremely unfavourable.
4. The rejection rate for EB-5 visa applicants seems to be rising as the money laundering probe seems to gain traction, and this is weakening even major regional center operators and is expected to crush the newer and smaller regional centers.
5. SEC, Dept. of State and GAO are all expected to introduce their own proposals that are expected to effectively make it impossible for regional centers to survive.
6. Three very powerful Senators who were publicly opposed to regional centers are now sitting in crucial posts and are expected to kill the bill in committee itself, and prevent it from coming up for a vote. In addition, there are at least 8 and probably 11 more Senators who're quietly opposing the regional center extension and suddenly the odds don't look so great for the bill. As a matter of fact, GovTrack gives the bill a VERY LOW 2% probability of passage (see link at https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr616), and I personally think that those folks are being generous. In DC's poisonous atmosphere, it is close to impossible for the bill to pass, and regional center marketers and executives may be committing securities fraud if they fail to disclose this important fact to EB-5 visa investors.

EB-5 visa investors need to remember that the ONLY safe way to get approved is through Genuine Direct Investment Businesses, and they should avoid regional centers not only due to the fact that they are about to get kicked out of the EB-5 visa program, but also due to the rampant fraud, securities law violations and conflict of interest seen in regional centers and risky investments such as E3 Investment Group, Voodoo BBQ, Marco's Pizza, Twistee Treat, etc.

EB-5 visa investors now know and understand that Genuine Direct investment businesses are the safest option for EB-5 visa investors in every single respect. 

Here are some of the critical reasons that EB-5 visa investors should ALWAYS choose Genuine Direct Investment Businesses and avoid regional centers:

1. In a Genuine Direct Investment Business, it is quite unusual to encounter fraud or conflict of interest. This alone is THE biggest reason why EB-5 visa investors usually experience capital loss if they opt for regional centers or unsafe Direct Investments (such as Twistee Treats or Voodoo or Marcos Pizza), while those who opt for Genuine Direct Investment Businesses usually NEVER experience capital loss. 
2. EB-5 visa investors who choose Genuine Direct Investment Businesses usually earn annual ROI of 15% to 40%, while those who select regional centers usually earn 0-2% annual ROI. 
3. Genuine Direct Investment Businesses offer easy exit strategies to EB-5 visa investors while those who invest in regional centers experience TERRIBLE exit strategies. 
4. Regional Centers usually commit securities fraud and securities law violations while this is usually unheard of in Genuine Direct Investment Businesses. 
5. EB-5 visa investors usually get capital gains if they invest in a Genuine Direct Investment Business and almost NEVER get capital gains if they invest in a regional center. 
6. EB-5 visa investors in Genuine Direct Investment Businesses usually see faster processing and approval of their petitions, while it takes much longer for EB-5 visa investors to get their immigrant visa through regional centers.  
7. EB-5 visa investors in Genuine Direct Investment Businesses have a higher chance of getting their permanent green card, while those who opt for regional centers have a lower chance of getting their green card.

The ONLY safe, fast and usually profitable way to get an EB-5 visa is through investment in a GENUINE Direct Investment Business. An even faster and easier way to get a PERMANENT green card is to apply for the L1A visa and then the EB-1C visa.

Many immigration attorneys and so-called due diligence "experts" fail to disclose important facts to investors. One such set of facts is that it takes 3 years to get a temporary green card and an additional 30+ months to get a permanent green card in EB-5 visa category, while investors can get a permanent green card in less than 2 years with EB-1C category visas.

The advantages of EB-1C over EB-5 visas are as follows:

1) Very little chance of fraud, compared to rampant fraud seen in regional centers in the EB-5 visa program.

2) Significantly lower investment amount. In EB-5 visa, a minimum investment of $500,000 is needed, whereas I've had clients get approved with even $350,000 investment in EB-1C visa category.

3) There is total flexibility about location: EB-1C visa investors face no restrictions about location, whereas EB-5 visa investors see significant location based restrictions if they invest only $500,000, and investors have to invest minimum $1 Million to avoid location based restrictions.

4) The EB-5 visa program has onerous proof of fund requirements, whereas the fund documentation requirements are definitely not as stringent in EB-1C visa program.

5) The job creation requirements are a lot more onerous in EB-5 visa, and I've seen that creating even 4 jobs suffices for an EB-1C visa.

6) Unlike the EB-5 visa program, there is no conditional green card in EB-1C visa program.

7) The time to get a permanent green card under EB-1 visa program ranges from 1-2 years, whereas it takes almost 5 years to get a permanent green card under EB-5 visa category. Business owners & executives can immediately move to the US on L1A visa, and get their green card in hand within a matter of months, whereas EB-5 visa holders have to wait for about two years to just get a temporary green card.

Keeping the above factors in mind, most investors are now choosing to go with EB-1C visa as it is a lot cheaper, faster, safer and easier to get compared to the EB-5 visa.

If you are a business owner or high net worth individual interested in migrating to the US, please hire our team. We offer a turnkey solution and have a solid track record of success, as we believe in delivering results and not excuses to our clients. That is why we have a 100% fee refund guarantee while our competitors usually don't offer such a guarantee.

Mohammed Shaikh, MBA (Accounting), CFE, Licensed Business & RE Broker (CA & FL)
Online:  http://www.smartbusinessbroker.com Phone: +1 407 535 0616

USCIS is using RFE's in order to eliminate money laundering in the EB-5 visa program.

It is a well known fact that money laundering is a widespread phenomena in the EB-5 visa program, and since 2013, USCIS has started reviewing EB-5 visa petitions in order to root out money laundering. In recent stakeholder meetings, USCIS announced enhanced co-operation initiatives in with other US government agencies in order to stamp out fraud and money laundering in the EB-5 visa program. As many attorneys can confirm, the effort to stamp out money laundering is based on increasing co-operation between US IRS, USCIS and China's SAFE and SAT, which is causing most regional centers to lose funding and denial of hundreds of EB-5 visa petitions.

I recently read several articles where immigration attorneys are complaining about the fact the delays and denials by USCIS, while failing to acknowledge the simple fact that USCIS is just beginning to do it's job now.

For more information on how to get your green card safely, quickly and usually profitably under the EB-5 visa category, please feel free to visit our website (http://www.smartbusinessbroker.com) or contact us via phone on +1 407 535 0616.

Mohammed Shaikh, MBA (Accounting), CFE, Licensed Business & RE Broker (CA & FL)
Online: http://www.smartbusinessbroker.com

You heard it here first: Regional centers will be out of the EB-5 visa program from September 2015 onwards and Direct Investment Businesses will be only choice for EB-5 visa investors.

Last year, I correctly predicted that the Republicans will have solid control of the house and Senate, and as predicted they won thumping victories. I also predicted that we will see delays but no retrogression contrary to what so-called experts such as Wolfsdorf were predicting, and it looks like that prediction will also be correct as Charles Oppenheim recently mentioned that we may not see any retrogression at all in 2015. I'd also predicted last year that due to powerful senators such as Grassley, Coburn and Corker openly opposing regional centers (and 8 powerful senators quietly opposing regional centers) as well as ICE / FBI / USCIS / SEC / IRS and DoS actively lobbying to kick out regional centers from the EB-5 visa program, regional centers will be booted out of the EB-5 visa program. I guess it is time for some folks to eat crow as I was laughing when I read the predictions of Wolfsdorf, Ortiz, Rahbaran, Aliaskari, Roussinova, Voigtmann, Lesli etc. who seemed to think that regional centers will be allowed to continue. I guess there is no shortage of optimistic idiots who are unaware that any proposed law to extend regional centers has  no chance of passage due to strident opposition from DHS, SEC, FBI, DoS, IRS-CID and other agencies that shall be unnamed for now.

USCIS adjudicators are anyway going slow due to source of funds and money laundering concerns, and the parallel SEC inquiry about securities fraud and securities law violations make for even slower adjudications. It is believed that thousands of EB-5 investors whose petitions have not been adjudicated will get neither their money nor their green cards, and it is still not too late for EB-5 visa investors to withdraw their funds from regional centers and instead invest in genuine Direct Investment Businesses, where the chance of fraud and conflict of interest is slim to none, and it is easy to PROFITABLY create 10 new jobs.

EB-5 visa investors must remember that regional center CEO's usually REFUSE to give notarized affidavits stating that they are in full compliance with securities laws and do not engage in conflict of interest. The reason for their refusal is because regional centers usually offer and sell securities ILLEGALLY overseas and also commit securities fraud by deliberately failing to disclose material facts. EB-5 visa investors also need to remember that those who invest in Genuine Direct Investment Businesses usually earn a lot more than the measly returns offered by regional centers, and instead of capital losses (which are seen in over 90% of regional centers), EB-5 visa investors in Genuine Direct Investment Businesses usually earn capital gains.

If you're an EB-5 visa investor, you owe it to yourself to sign up as our client. You'll be glad you did because we offer written guarantees of freedom from fraud and conflict of interest, which is something regional centers will ALWAYS refuse to do.

Yours truly,

Mohammed Shaikh, MBA (Accounting), CFE, Licensed Business & RE Broker (CA & FL)

Phone: +1 407 535 0616 Online: http://www.smartbusinessbroker.com

Can EB-5 visa investors really trust so-called due diligence experts like E-Council (headed by Lauren Cohen) when they seem to be incompetent at best?

I just read an article by Ms. Shani Muschen of E-Council about due diligence in EB-5 visa investments and can say I was disappointed with the quality of their work. I think that they must be either incompetent at best or trying to aid and abet fraud at worst, as their article on the "Due Diligence Questions every EB-5 visa investor should ask" are nothing but a joke!

As the head of E-Council, Lauren Cohen, is herself an attorney, I thought they'd know better than to put poor quality work on their site.

In the US, failure to disclose material facts while offering / selling securities to an investor is known as securities fraud. Pretty much every single Regional center has committed securities fraud by failing to disclose some (or all) of the following facts to EB-5 visa investors:

1) Regional Centers as well as risky (and usually fraudulent) direct offerings such as E3 Investment Group (run by Matthew Gordon AKA Matt Gordon), Twistee Treat, Marcos Pizza Offerings by Brian Hall, Voodoo BBQ offered by Fred Burgess & Joe Sloboda, etc. usually have significant conflict of interest built into their offerings. A failure to clearly disclose this material fact constitutes securities fraud.

2) Regional Centers usually violate securities laws by illegally offering and selling securities in the US and / or abroad. As a matter of fact, I have yet to see even ONE regional center that has offered / sold securities in a lawful manner in China, India, Russia and Mexico. A failure to disclose the ILLEGAL offering and sale of securities is clearly an instance of securities fraud.

3) The due diligence guys are usually paid by the regional center / project / fraudulent direct investment team, due to which they are usually loyal to those who pay them.

4) Regional centers and fraudulent direct investments have truly terrible exit strategies and offer meager ROI.

5) Regional Centers and fraudulent direct investments often have junk fees known as administrative fees, which are used to pay high (and usually ILLEGAL) commissions to visa / immigration agents.

6) Capital loss is usually experienced by those who invest in regional centers and risky direct investments. As a matter of fact, over 95% of regional centers have a track record of capital losses for EB-5 visa investors.

7) Per the latest USCIS figures, less than 50% of the EB-5 visa investors who choose to invest in regional centers get their permanent green card. See link at http://www.uscis.gov/tools/reports-studies/immigration-forms-data and compare the data for I-829 approvals and look at the number of I-526 approvals for years prior to that. i.e. in 2012, over 3600 I-526 petitions were approved, but only 1600 I-829 petitions were approved in 2014, which means that there are about 2000 petitions that still haven't received approvals. Not only that, the percentage of I-829 denials are now in excess of 11%. The so-called due diligence experts also usually don't disclose that due to heightened scrutiny, the number of I-526 denials is now in excess of 12%, and is expected to significantly increase.

8) The so-called due diligence experts usually don't disclose the fact that in 2014 alone, over 60 regional centers have already been shut down.

9) So-called due diligence experts seem to be unwilling to disclose the fact that regional centers are most probably going to be shut out of the EB-5 visa program from September 2015 onwards.

10) Regional centers seem to be unwilling to clearly disclose the fact that their promoters are like drug addicts: They are addicted to OPM (Other People's Money). It is quite simple and easy to ask the promoters just how much money are they actually contributing and how much equity are they keeping. Why is it that the promoters of regional centers invest 1-200,000 of their own money, and want to keep over 80% of the equity, whereas those who invest USD 500,000 of their own money get only 2-3% of the equity?

11) Regional Centers don't seem to be willing to disclose the fact that they not only procure goods and services from related parties at inflated prices, they also engage in rampant nepotism by hiring related individuals at inflated salaries instead of openly hiring managers and staff in a competitive manner.

EB-5 visa investors now know and understand that Genuine Direct investment businesses are the safest option for EB-5 visa investors in every single respect. 

Here are some of the critical reasons that EB-5 visa investors should ALWAYS choose Genuine Direct Investment Businesses and avoid regional centers:

1. In a Genuine Direct Investment Business, it is quite unusual to encounter fraud or conflict of interest. This alone is THE biggest reason why EB-5 visa investors usually experience capital loss if they opt for regional centers or unsafe Direct Investments (such as Twistee Treats or Voodoo or Marcos Pizza), while those who opt for Genuine Direct Investment Businesses usually NEVER experience capital loss. 
2. EB-5 visa investors who choose Genuine Direct Investment Businesses usually earn annual ROI of 15% to 40%, while those who select regional centers usually earn 0-2% annual ROI. 
3. Genuine Direct Investment Businesses offer easy exit strategies to EB-5 visa investors while those who invest in regional centers experience TERRIBLE exit strategies. 
4. Regional Centers usually commit securities fraud and securities law violations while this is usually unheard of in Genuine Direct Investment Businesses. 
5. EB-5 visa investors usually get capital gains if they invest in a Genuine Direct Investment Business and almost NEVER get capital gains if they invest in a regional center. 
6. EB-5 visa investors in Genuine Direct Investment Businesses usually see faster processing and approval of their petitions, while it takes much longer for EB-5 visa investors to get their immigrant visa through regional centers.  
7. EB-5 visa investors in Genuine Direct Investment Businesses have a higher chance of getting their permanent green card, while those who opt for regional centers have a lower chance of getting their green card.

The ONLY safe, fast and usually profitable way to get an EB-5 visa is through investment in a GENUINE Direct Investment Business. An even faster and easier way to get a PERMANENT green card is to apply for the L1A visa and then the EB-1C visa.

Many immigration attorneys and so-called due diligence "experts" fail to disclose important facts to investors. One such set of facts is that it takes 3 years to get a temporary green card and an additional 30+ months to get a permanent green card in EB-5 visa category, while investors can get a permanent green card in less than 2 years with EB-1C category visas.

The advantages of EB-1C over EB-5 visas are as follows:

1) Very little chance of fraud, compared to rampant fraud seen in regional centers in the EB-5 visa program.

2) Significantly lower investment amount. In EB-5 visa, a minimum investment of $500,000 is needed, whereas I've had clients get approved with even $350,000 investment in EB-1C visa category.

3) There is total flexibility about location: EB-1C visa investors face no restrictions about location, whereas EB-5 visa investors see significant location based restrictions if they invest only $500,000, and investors have to invest minimum $1 Million to avoid location based restrictions.

4) The EB-5 visa program has onerous proof of fund requirements, whereas the fund documentation requirements are definitely not as stringent in EB-1C visa program.

5) The job creation requirements are a lot more onerous in EB-5 visa, and I've seen that creating even 4 jobs suffices for an EB-1C visa.

6) Unlike the EB-5 visa program, there is no conditional green card in EB-1C visa program.

7) The time to get a permanent green card under EB-1 visa program ranges from 1-2 years, whereas it takes almost 5 years to get a permanent green card under EB-5 visa category. Business owners & executives can immediately move to the US on L1A visa, and get their green card in hand within a matter of months, whereas EB-5 visa holders have to wait for about two years to just get a temporary green card.

Keeping the above factors in mind, most investors are now choosing to go with EB-1C visa as it is a lot cheaper, faster, safer and easier to get compared to the EB-5 visa.

If you are a business owner or high net worth individual interested in migrating to the US, please hire our team. We offer a turnkey solution and have a solid track record of success, as we believe in delivering results and not excuses to our clients. That is why we have a 100% fee refund guarantee while our competitors usually don't offer such a guarantee.

Mohammed Shaikh, MBA (Accounting), CFE, Licensed Business & RE Broker (CA & FL)
Online:  http://www.smartbusinessbroker.com Phone: +1 407 535 0616

Introducing the first ever ZERO FEE EB-5 visa Genuine Direct Investment Option with the ability to get a green card safely, quickly and easily.

Hello

My name is Mohammed Shaikh, and I'm a Business Broker and Advisor with over 11 years of experience in advising EB-5 visa investors to get their green cards under EB-5 visa category using Genuine Direct Investment Businesses. I'm pleased to announce the first ever ZERO FEE EB-5 visa option available for EB-5 visa investors. This means EB-5 visa investors do not have to pay a penny over the USD 500,000 investment required by the USCIS. It means you won't have to pay junk fees such as administrative fees, lawyer fees for filing your EB-5 visa or any other junk fee charged by regional centers or risky investments such as E3 Investment Group, Twistee Treat, Voodoo BBQ, etc.

EB-5 visa investors may ask: HOW are we making money?

We offer the first 5% of the annual profits to the EB-5 visa investor, and take any remaining profits for ourselves. In short, if we can't help our investors earn even 5% annual profits, we won't take any share of the profits. We earn money ONLY if our investors earn money. We also take 30% of the capital gains (increase in business value) and let the investor keep the majority of the capital gains. We're fairly confident that NONE of the regional centers offer this unbeatable deal, where not only do EB-5 visa investors get the first share of the profits and also capital gains, but do not have to pay any junk fees or administrative fees, lawyer or CPA fees. Unlike risky investments such as regional centers where capital gains are unheard of and certainly not offered, it is reasonable to expect capital gains with Genuine Direct Investment Businesses.

Regional centers and not so trustworthy Direct Investment Business offerings such as E3 Investment Group, Florida Restaurant Franchise Group, etc. are used to engaging in conflict of interest, routinely commit fraud and offer measly returns with almost certain capital loss, while those EB-5 visa investors who invest in Genuine Direct Investment Businesses usually earn profits and capital gains, and earn a decent amount of money while getting their green card.

WHY should EB-5 visa investors choose Genuine Direct Investment Businesses?

Since 2012, ICE has officially recommended banning regional centers from the EB-5 visa program and actually said "there can be no safeguards that can be put in place that will ensure the integrity of the regional center model." See link at https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2013/12/19/senate-section/article/s9001-2 

Even the SEC warns EB-5 visa investors to avoid regional centers.

What can EB-5 visa investors learn from these events?

As thousands of EB-5 visa investors have already learnt to their misfortune, regional centers usually commit securities fraud and launder money. What most EB-5 visa investors don't realize is that regional centers also violate securities laws by illegally offering and selling securities overseas. What most regional centers don't disclose is that EB-5 visa investors face almost certain capital loss, and more importantly, they don't disclose that most EB-5 visa investors do NOT get a permanent green card.

EB-5 visa investors need to remember that IT IS VERY HARD TO EARN MONEY AND VERY EASY TO BURN MONEY. A Genuine Direct Investment Business is the SAFEST, FASTEST and usually most PROFITABLE way to get an EB-5 visa.

A Genuine Direct Investment Business has the following characteristics:

It is 100% owned and controlled by the investor. This eliminates conflict of interest and significantly reduces the possibility of fraud. Even ICE, USA's biggest investigative agency says that all Regional centers usually commit fraud, conflict of interest and violations of securities laws (see http://www.smartbusinessbroker.com/EB5_ICE_fraud_memo.pdf)

It is in either a premium franchise such as Five Guys / KFC / Hertz etc. or in a solid non-franchise business such as banquet hall, used car lots, etc. If the business is a risky franchise such as Voodoo BBQ, Marcos Pizza, etc., it is unsafe. A franchise is suitable for investment only if it is on a major bank's list of approved franchises AND features in a list of top performing franchises (see http://www.slideshare.net/MohammedShaikh4/2012-top200 ) AND is recommended by an experienced business broker who owes a fiduciary duty to the EB-5 visa investor. Most franchises are unsuitable for EB-5 visa investors due to their inability to PROFITABLY generate 10 jobs, due to which capital losses are common with risky investments such as regional centers or Voodoo BBQ, Twistee Treat, E3 Investment, etc.

Genuine Direct Investment Businesses are easily saleable in the open market. For example, it is easy to quickly sell off a Five Guys or KFC Franchise in the open market, while there is no market for partnership or regional center securities, risky franchises such as Marcos Pizza / Voodoo BBQ / Twistee Treat, etc. due to which EB-5 visa investors are stuck for 5-9 years and have to PAY to sell their share. 

What are the advantages of choosing a Genuine Direct Investment Business to get the EB-5 visa?

The EB-5 visa investor has control and ownership of their business and corporate funds. This helps  eliminate conflict of interest and fraud, and results in higher earnings and capital gains.

The EB-5 visa investor usually earns 15-25% Returns annually, while regional centers offer measly returns of 1%, but have significant capital losses on exit.

The EB-5 visa investor usually earns solid capital gains of over 30% upon exit, while those who invest in risky franchises, partnerships and regional centers usually end up with capital losses.

The EB-5 visa investor has an easy exit strategy and can sell their business (usually for a profit) as soon as they get their permanent green card (I-829 approval),  while risky franchises, partnerships and regional centers lock in funds for 5-9 years.

It is easier get the I-526 approval (temporary green card) using a Genuine Direct Investment Business in comparison to regional centers.

Genuine Direct investment Businesses are usually able to help the EB-5 visa investor get their I-829 approved, whereas less than half of the EB-5 visa investors who chose regional centers, partnerships and risky franchises were able to get their I-829 approved.

There is usually no conflict of interest and fraud seen in a Genuine Direct Investment Business, whereas there is usually extensive conflict of interest and fraud to be found in regional centers, partnerships and risky franchises. An excellent example is how Joe Sloboda and Fred Burgess sold Voodoo BBQ franchises to EB-5 visa investors without disclosing the fact that they were the master franchisors and earned money on the back end.

EB-5 visa investors should avoid those who refuse to guarantee the following:

1.    Full disclosure of all material information.

2.    Freedom from fraud and conflict of interest.

3.    Full refund of Investor's fees in case you’re rejected by USCIS due to the service provider's fault or promoter's fault.

If you're an EB-5 visa investor interested in getting their EB-5 visa quickly, please contact us. You'll be really glad that you did.

Yours truly,

Mohammed Shaikh, Licensed RE and Business Broker (CA & FL)

Phone: +1 407 535 0616

Online: http://www.smartbusinessbroker.com  Skype:mohammed.shaikh

Is Mayorkas going down for aiding and abetting visa fraud and money laundering? ICE recommends shutting down regional centers and the new Congress will support it.

It looks like there may be truth in the rumours that we may see some senior executives exit the DHS this year, and we will also end up seeing regional centers being permanently BANNED from the EB-5 visa program in September 2015. Those EB-5 visa investors who're relying on regional centers to get their EB-5 visas may need to urgently confer with their attorneys to review alternative options available to them. It is a well known fact that many agencies (such as Dept. of State, IRS, SEC, ICE, DHS OIG, USCIS, FBI, NSA, etc.) have privately and publicly voiced concerns about the rampant securities law violations, securities fraud and money laundering committed by regional centers, and the Democrats ignored these valid concerns, which infuriated these agencies and career officers who opposed the fraud and money laundering.

It is a well known fact that Republicans have a natural affinity with law enforcement agencies, and with the new Congress being seated with Republican majorities in both the House and Senate, Republicans may try to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Republicans want payback against Harry Reid for his stunts in the Senate last year to get Mayorkas confirmed, and what better way to make Reid look like an ass than to go after Mayorkas for illegally getting EB-5 visas for Harry Reid and Tony Rodham (the kid brother of Hillary Clinton), and in the process getting rid of both Reid and Mayorkas in a legal manner that makes them look good in the process?

After all, Mayorkas directly helped Harry Reid's son by illegally granting EB-5 visas to investors in SLS casino and seems to have turned a blind eye to numerous warnings. This not only helps address the concerns of the law enforcement and intelligence community, it also helps to effectively and permanently sabotage the political careers of Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton and other Democrat heavy weights such as Bill Clinton, Willie Brown, Ross-Lehtinen, DiFi, Boxer, etc.

Since 2012, ICE has officially recommended banning regional centers from the EB-5 visa program and actually said "there can be no safeguards that can be put in place that will ensure the integrity of the regional center model." See link at https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2013/12/19/senate-section/article/s9001-2 

The same link above also reports that "DHS OIG audit found that Mayorkas failed to ensure regional centers meet all program requirements. USCIS under the leadership of Mayorkas applied program regulations and policies. USCIS doesn't always properly document decisions and responses, giving the appearance the program is vulnerable to inappropriate influence." I believe this refers to the infamous cases of EB-5 visas being illegally granted to investors in SLS Casino and GCFM (with GreenTech Automotive being used to launder millions of dollars).

What can EB-5 visa investors learn from these events?

As thousands of EB-5 visa investors have already learnt to their misfortune, regional centers usually commit securities fraud and launder money. What most EB-5 visa investors don't realize is that regional centers also violate securities laws by illegally offering and selling securities overseas. What most regional centers don't disclose is that EB-5 visa investors face almost certain capital loss, and more importantly, they don't disclose that most EB-5 visa investors do NOT get a permanent green card.

EB-5 visa investors need to remember that IT IS VERY HARD TO EARN MONEY AND VERY EASY TO BURN MONEY. A Genuine Direct Investment Business is the SAFEST, FASTEST and usually most PROFITABLE way to get an EB-5 visa.

A Genuine Direct Investment Business has the following characteristics:

It is 100% owned and controlled by the investor. This eliminates conflict of interest and significantly reduces the possibility of fraud. Even ICE, USA's biggest investigative agency says that all Regional centers usually commit fraud, conflict of interest and violations of securities laws (see http://www.smartbusinessbroker.com/EB5_ICE_fraud_memo.pdf)

It is in either a premium franchise such as Five Guys / KFC / Hertz etc. or in a solid non-franchise business such as banquet hall, used car lots, etc. If the business is a risky franchise such as Voodoo BBQ, Marcos Pizza, etc., it is unsafe. A franchise is suitable for investment only if it is on a major bank's list of approved franchises AND features in a list of top performing franchises (see http://www.slideshare.net/MohammedShaikh4/2012-top200 ) AND is recommended by an experienced business broker who owes a fiduciary duty to the EB-5 visa investor. Most franchises are unsuitable for EB-5 visa investors due to their inability to PROFITABLY generate 10 jobs.

It is easily saleable in the open market. For example, it is easy to quickly sell off a Five Guys or KFC Franchise in the open market, while there is no market for partnership or regional center securities, risky franchises such as Marcos Pizza / Voodoo BBQ / Twistee Treat, etc. due to which EB-5 visa investors are stuck for 5-9 years and have to PAY to sell their share. 

What are the advantages of choosing a Genuine Direct Investment Business to get the EB-5 visa?

The EB-5 visa investor gets FULL control and ownership of their business and corporate funds. This helps  eliminate conflict of interest and fraud, and results in higher earnings and capital gains.

The EB-5 visa investor usually earns 15-35% Returns annually, while regional centers offer measly returns of 1%, but have significant capital losses on exit.

The EB-5 visa investor usually earns solid capital gains of over 30% upon exit, while those who invest in risky franchises, partnerships and regional centers usually end up with capital losses.

The EB-5 visa investor has an easy exit strategy and can sell their business (usually for a profit) as soon as they get their permanent green card (I-829 approval),  while risky franchises, partnerships and regional centers lock in funds for 5-9 years.

It is easier get the I-526 approval (temporary green card) using a Genuine Direct Investment Business in comparison to regional centers.

Genuine Direct investment Businesses are usually able to help the EB-5 visa investor get their I-829 approved, whereas less than half of the EB-5 visa investors who chose regional centers, partnerships and risky franchises were able to get their I-829 approved.

There is usually no conflict of interest and fraud seen in a Genuine Direct Investment Business, whereas there is usually extensive conflict of interest and fraud to be found in regional centers, partnerships and risky franchises. An excellent example is how Joe Sloboda and Fred Burgess sold Voodoo BBQ franchises to EB-5 visa investors without disclosing the fact that they were the master franchisors and earned money on the back end.

EB-5 visa investors should avoid those who refuse to guarantee the following:

1.    Full disclosure of all material information.

2.    Freedom from fraud and conflict of interest.

3.    Full refund of Investor's fees in case you’re rejected by USCIS due to our fault.

If you're an EB-5 visa investor interested in getting their EB-5 visa quickly, please contact us. You'll be really glad that you did.

Yours truly,

Mohammed Shaikh, Licensed RE and Business Broker (CA & FL)

Phone: +1 407 535 0616 Online: http://www.smartbusinessbroker.com  Skype:mohammed.shaikh