New York, Aug 4 - Just a year after US officials shut down 'sham' Tri Valley University for immigration scam, the CEO of another American varsity has been charged with visa fraud, leaving the fate of over 400 students, mostly Indians, hanging in the balance.

The US Federal authorities yesterday raided Herguan University in Sunnyvale in California and charged its CEO Jerry Wang, with 15 counts visa fraud.

The investigation is underway but the immigration status for about 450 students enrolled at Herguan, most of whom are from India, remains uncertain, according to The San Jose Mercury News.

Wang, 32, is alleged to have lured international students to his unaccredited school by using fraudulent documents to obtain visas.

The crimes could land him a 23-year prison sentence and cost him more than USD 1 million in fines.

In a similar case last year, the president of Tri-Valley University Susan Xiao-Ping was arrested for also submitting fraudulent documents in order to admit international students, mostly Indians.

An investigation revealed that Su was charging students tuition but not requiring them to attend class, and students were actually spread out across the nation.

The university, which had around 1,500 Indian students, was was later closed down. PTI