Ex-federal agent convicted in green card scam case

SAN DIEGO – A former supervisor in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been convicted in connection with a green card fraud scheme that bilked immigrants out of millions of dollars.

Johnny Martin was convicted in San Diego federal court Friday of making a false statement to a federal agent. He faces up to five years in prison.

The U.S. attorney’s office says Martin passed confidential information from law enforcement databases to crooks who posed as Homeland Security agents and conned more than 100 immigrants into paying exorbitant fees for green cards they never received.

When the FBI interviewed Martin in 2017, he denied passing on information. However, prosecutors say there’s no evidence Martin knew the information was being used for a con.

Three men involved in the scam have pleaded guilty.