Fake immigration experts arrested in Florida, DOJ says
ORLANDO, Fla. - Thirteen foreign nationals from Brazil and Cuba were arrested by the Department of Justice for allegedly providing false immigration-legal services, DOJ says.
Thirteen people arrested for fraud, posing as immigration experts, DOJ says
What we know:
For three years, thirteen foreign nationals were working under the guise of immigration lawyers to allegedly defraud the United States, according to the Department of Justice.
Investigators say Vagner Sorares De Almeida and his wife Juliana Colucci ran a fake immigration services office called Legacy Imigra Solutions LLC. The agency was designed to assist undocumented immigrants who were seeking asylum claims and legal status in the United States, DOJ says.
According to officials, the agency gave false, inaccurate, and incomplete legal and immigration advice to clients, as well as falsified documents to help them obtain their immigration status.
The backstory:
Federal officials said Almeida owned the business between August 2023 and April 2026.
Legacy Imigra employed seven people, who were arrested on various charges, including conspiracy to commit wire, visa, and or marriage fraud, according to a news release. Investigators also claim the agency hired undocumented immigrants.
If convicted, suspects face up to 20 years in prison, DOJ says
What we don't know:
Depending on the charge, some sentences could range from six to 20 years in prison. Information on how long each person will be charged has not been determined.
The Source: This article was written with information gathered from a news release by the United States Attorney's Office.