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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Professor Says School Lied About Green Card

(CN) - A university swindled an assistant professor and immigrant out of her salary by falsely promising her help getting her green card, the woman claims in court.

Mi Sun Chun sued Georgia Christian University Inc. and its CEO Dr. Paul Kim in Federal Court.

Chun, a South Korean immigrant, says she started working as the Dean of Music and assistant professor at the school in 2012 for $30,000 a year. She alleges that Kim offered to help her get her green card in exchange for her salary.

"Defendant Kim agreed to sponsor plaintiff's work visa and to 'assist' plaintiff in obtaining her permanent residency or 'green card.' Defendant Kim asked plaintiff to use his attorney in obtaining the 'green card' and told her that he would charge her for the attorney's services," the complaint states. "In exchange for defendant Kim's 'assistance,' plaintiff was required to repay her entire salary back to defendant Kim, including all taxes."

But Chun soon realized that the attorney was not instructed to help with her green card, so she stopped paying back her salary, according to the complaint. At that point, she claims that the university stopped paying her at all

Chun says she kept working for free so as not to affect her immigrant or residency status. She told Kim last November that she was getting a green card through her husband and demanded to be paid as well as reimbursement for the salary she had paid back to Kim, according to the complaint.

"In response to plaintiff's demand, defendant Kim started paying plaintiff $2,000 per month in November 2014, but did not repay any of the salary owed to plaintiff dating back to August 2012," the complaint states. "To summarize, plaintiff was forced to immediately repay her gross salary back to defendants between August 2012 and August 2013, and plaintiff was not paid any salary or compensation from September 2013 to October 2014."

Chun alleges violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act as well as breach of contract and unjust enrichment.

Chun seeks $62,000 for wages, $30,000 for breach of contract and punitive damages. She is represented by Paul Sharman in Alpharetta, Ga.

The university declined to comment on Chun's allegations.

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