What's the claim?
A claim widely circulating on social media states that Infosys was recently fined Rs. 283 crore ($34 million) in the United States. It was first shared in a report by Indian news outlet Jagran English, published on December 1, 2024 (archived here). Local news outlets like NewsX, India.com, MSN, and Puthiya Thalaimurai TV (PTTV), a Tamil news network, also published similar details.
An X user shared the Jagran article with the caption, ”BIGGEST IMMIGRATION FRAUD Infosys slapped with a record Rs 283 crore fine in the 'biggest ever case of immigration fraud in the United States'. We are definitely not earning the international repute we should be. No news in mainstream media?”
At the time of writing this check, the post had reached over 1,00,000 views and over 2,000 likes. Archived versions of more such posts can be found here, here, and here.
Screenshot of claims shared online. (Source: X/MSN/Modified by Logically Facts)
However, this claim is misleading, as the alleged fine is based on a 2013 settlement, not a recent development.
What we found
At the time of writing this check, we found that the Jagran article had been updated (archived here) to state that the development is not recent but dates back to 2013.
Logically Facts found no credible mainstream media outlets reporting that Infosys was recently fined $34 million in December 2024. Instead, we found multiple reports from October 2013 containing the same information that is currently circulating online. A report by The New York Times, published on October 29, 2013, elaborated how Infosys had agreed to pay a $34 million fine as part of a civil settlement. The settlement followed an investigation by federal prosecutors in Texas, who had uncovered what they described as “systemic visa fraud and abuse.”
According to an official press release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) (archived here) on October 29, 2013, Infosys was accused of misusing B-1 visas, which are typically meant for short-term business trips. The government agency accused Infosys of bringing temporary workers from India to the U.S. for jobs that should have required H-1B visas. This misuse of the visa system was considered a violation of U.S. immigration laws. The company's actions were part of a broader pattern of alleged visa fraud, prompting U.S. authorities to take legal action.
Screenshot showing the 2013 press release by ICE. (Source: ICE/Modified by Logically Facts)
As a result, Infosys was fined $34 million in a civil settlement to resolve the allegations. The company agreed to pay the fine and maintained that the settlement was not an admission of wrongdoing but rather a step taken to avoid prolonged legal proceedings.
In an official press release (archived here) in 2013, the company denied and disputed any claims of systemic visa fraud, misuse of visas to gain a competitive advantage, or abuse of the immigration system.
This settlement of a $34 million fine resolved the legal matter. Since then, no new fines or allegations have been made against Infosys regarding visa misuse or by any U.S. government agency.
The verdict
A development from 2013, when the U.S. fined Infosys Rs. 283 crore ($34 million) over charges of visa fraud, has been shared as recent.
(This story was originally published by Logicallyfacts, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective)
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