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Group accused of running fake immigration office, sheriff says
Four people are facing extortion charges in connection with an alleged scheme that defrauded victims out of millions of dollars through a fake immigration services business in Orlando, authorities said.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Four people are facing extortion and fraud charges in connection with what authorities say was a fake immigration law office that stole millions of dollars from vulnerable victims.
Orange County deputies said the operation, run under the name Legacy Imigra.
The backstory:
According to authorities, Legacy Imigra posed as an immigration services firm helping undocumented immigrants obtain legal status, but investigators said no licensed attorneys were involved. Officials said the business operated out of a boarded-up office in Orlando.
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Sheriff John Mina said the suspects used "manipulation, fraud, lies and extortion" to build what he described as a more than $20 million scheme. Authorities said clients’ immigration documents were allegedly withheld until victims paid thousands of dollars in fees.
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Sheriff: 4 arrested for running fraudulent immigration law office
Four people have been arrested in Florida for allegedly operating a fake immigration law firm and promising to help people with their various immigration claims. Instead, the sheriff's office said, the business collected some $20 million from helpless victims who ultimately were no closer to citizenship than when they started. Vagner Soares De Almeida, his wife Juliana Colucci, and alleged associates Ronaldo Decampos and Lucas Filipe Trindade Silva were arrested on charges of racketeering, organized fraud, extortion, and unauthorized practice of law. The sheriff's office said the victims -- primarily Brazilian nationals -- were found in Florida, South Carolina, Connecticut, and New Jersey, and lost between $2,500 and $26,000 dollars.
Investigators said seven victims have come forward so far, reporting losses ranging from $2,500 to $26,000, but believe many more have not reported out of fear of deportation.
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The sheriff’s office said victims may qualify for immigration protections, including U visas, as the investigation continues.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Orange County Sheriff's Office.