Fake Immigration Attorneys Targeting Hispanic Residents

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL -- The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is investigating a string of fraud cases targeting immigrants.

The investigation was launched after a Univision Communications news report that aired Monday night reporting that more than 40 Hispanic residents have been defrauded because of their immigration status.

"People preying on our residents is unacceptable," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Our job as a local law enforcement agency is to protect all people, regardless of their immigration status, from criminals who seek to take advantage of them. We are looking into this case and working to bring those responsible to justice."

Most of the fraud schemes revolve around false promises to help illegal immigrants obtain documentation to remain in the United States.

In April, a 44-year-old Tampa woman was indicted the United States Attorney's Office for falsely portraying herself as an immigration attorney offering immigration services to Spanish-speaking residents.

U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announced that Erika Paola Intriago had been charged with four counts of wire fraud and three counts of wrongfully using government seals. If convicted, Intriago faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud and up to five years in federal prison for each count of wrongfully using government seals.

According to the indictment, Intriago portrayed herself as an immigration attorney although she is not a licensed attorney. She advertised immigration-related services on social media, targeting immigrant families from Spanish-speaking countries.

Victims retained and paid Intriago to represent them in immigration-related matters before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and other agencies. To show that she was acting on the victims’ behalf, Lopez said Intriago sent fraudulent letters, emails, receipts, documents and communications to her victims telling them these were legitimate communications sent from agencies of the United States, including the Department of Homeland Security and USCIS.

In actuality, said Lopez, Intriago either never filed the necessary immigration paperwork, abandoned the immigration process or never informed the victims that they had been denied.

Lopez said Intriago also threatened and intimidated victims who complained about her conduct by telling them that she would report their immigration status to U.S. immigration authorities, which Intriago claimed would result in the victims being deported.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and USCIS.

The sheriff said several victims have filed complaints with the sheriff's office but many are afraid to come forward for fear of deportation.

The sheriff's office now has a dedicated phone number so victims can report the crimes directly to detectives ssigned to investigate this case. A Spanish-speaking operator has been assigned to help residents with their complaints. Call (813) 247-8494.

For more information, visit the USCIS website.