Woonsocket Mom and Daughters Charged with Scamming $800,000 from Illegal Immigrants

A Woonsocket woman and her two daughters are facing federal wire fraud charges for stealing $800,000 in two years from illegal immigrants who they promised to help get legal status and then threatened to deport in an ongoing scam, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Massachusetts.

Patria Zuniga, 53; Alba Peña , 24; and Indranis Rocheford, 27, all of Woonsocket, were charged with eight separate counts of wire fraud for orchestrating the scheme, which ran from 2010 to 2012, said Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz.

According to a court affadavit, Zuniga, Peña, and Rocheford targeted immigrant victims with either no lawful status or temporary legal status in the United States. Victims were told that Zuniga worked for immigration authorities and could assist them in obtaining lawful immigration status documents.

Zuniga’s services were initially offered to immigrant victims for $8,000 to $14,000.

After victims made payments, Zuniga demanded more money, Ortiz said, and “threatened to have them deported if they refused to pay.”

Payments were initially made in cash, but later Zuniga, Peña, and Rocheford accepted money via cash deposits made directly into designated bank accounts they held. They also took money orders, and bank and Western Union wire transfers.

It is alleged that Zuniga, Peña, and Rocheford received more $800,000 from immigrant victims over the course of the fraud.

“Dreams of a better life and a way out of the shadows make the immigrant community particularly susceptible to abusive immigration services scams like this one,” said U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. “The defendants are alleged to have illegally enriched themselves by exploiting the vulnerability of immigrants and their families. This indictment should serve as a stern warning to other fraudsters that preying on the most vulnerable among us is illegal and will be prosecuted.”

Zuniga has been in custody since May after being charged with one count of wire fraud. Peña and Rocheford were arrested at their Woonsocket homes this morning and were due to appear in court this afternoon.