June 26, 2014
LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles-area immigration consultant and one of her
employees were arrested this morning after being named in an indictment that
alleges they filed fraudulent “green card” applications on behalf of immigrants
who were married to U.S. citizens, some of whom paid more than $20,000 for
their services.
Claudia Arreola, 35, of El Monte,
who owns California Immigration Services (CIS), and her business associate,
Leticia Gutierrez, 35, Pico Rivera, were taken into custody this morning by
special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland
Security Investigations (HSI). The two women were charged in a six-count
indictment returned Tuesday by a federal grand jury.
“Fraud scams run by so-called
notarios threaten the integrity of the immigration process and offer false hope
to desperate people,” said United States Attorney André Birotte Jr. “The two
women in this case victimized immigrants for years by giving the false
impression that they could fix immigration problems.”
According to the indictment, the
defendants submitted paperwork to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS) on behalf of six foreign nationals who were seeking to obtain “green
cards” – permanent resident status – based on legitimate marriages to U.S.
citizens. The applications filed by the defendants allegedly included
fraudulent I-94 cards indicating that the immigrants, who originally came to
the U.S. illegally, entered lawfully on visitors’ visas.
The immigrant victims were
originally quoted fees of approximately $7,000, but the defendants ultimately
charged them as much as $24,000. To pay the debt, some of the couples borrowed
against their credit cards or obtained loans from family and friends.
Subsequently, investigators say when several of the foreign nationals sought
refunds after they failed to receive “green cards,” the defendants allegedly
threatened to contact authorities and have the aliens deported.
“Tragically, as is often true in
such scams, at least some of the victims in this case could have obtained green
cards legally,” said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for HSI Los
Angeles. “Instead, they placed their trust and, in many cases, their life
savings in the hands of individuals who were focused on enriching themselves,
rather than on helping hopeful immigrants realize the American dream.”
Investigators say the similarity
between the name and acronym for Arreola’s consulting business and USCIS, the
Department of Homeland Security agency that adjudicates applications for
immigration benefits, was no coincidence. Evidence developed during the
investigation showed that money orders and cashier’s checks made out to USCIS
had been deposited in bank accounts controlled by defendants.
The probe targeting Arreola’s CIS
began in 2011 after HSI received leads from USCIS’s Fraud Detection and
National Security directorate involving several suspicious benefit
applications. While only six instances of fraud are charged in the case
indictment, authorities believe the scheme is responsible for dozens of
fraudulent benefit applications.
“Arreola victimized immigrants for
personal gain by pretending to be associated with USCIS,” said USCIS FDNS
Western Regional Assistant Director Ken Takeda. “We are committed to upholding
the integrity of our immigration system by combatting these deceptive
practices. USCIS strongly encourages the public to seek legal advice or
representation from attorneys or accredited representatives.”
Arreola and Gutierrez are expected
to be arraigned on the indictment this afternoon in federal court. If
convicted, both defendants face a statutory maximum penalty of 60 years in
federal prison.
In 2003, the Attorney General of the
State of California filed suit against Arreola and Gutierrez, among others,
alleging that defendants had engaged in an illegal scheme to provide
immigration services in violation of California law. Both Arreola and Gutierrez
entered into settlement agreements in which they promised not to engage in
illegal immigration consulting services in violation of California law,
specifically agreeing not to promise certain benefits or results in immigration
cases. In 2006, the defendants began operating California Immigration Services
and engaging in the conduct alleged in the indictment.
This case is part of an ongoing,
nationwide effort by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland
Security to target unscrupulous immigration practitioners and combat the
unauthorized practice of immigration law. The initiative relies on federal,
state and local resources to combat the widespread problem of unauthorized
practice of immigration law. Other partners involved in the Los Angeles effort
include the Federal Trade Commission, the Los Angeles County Department of
Consumer Affairs, the State Bar of California, the Los Angeles County District
Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, and the Attorney
General’s Office of the State of California. For more information on the
initiative, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/news/national-initiative-combat-immigration-services-scams.
HSI and USCIS believe there are
additional victims in this case who have not yet been identified. The Los
Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs has a toll-free number that
victims can call to get information or seek assistance: 1-800-593-8222.
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NOTE FROM ARNO'S OFFICE: Look for an immigration lawyer who is in good-standing with the State Bar and who is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
In California, you can look up lawyers at http://calbar.ca.gov.
You can search for AILA member attorneys at http://www.aila.org.
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