In Florida, a scammer profited from immigrants pretending to be a lawyer: his clients were deported - ForumDaily
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In Florida, a scammer profited from immigrants pretending to be a lawyer: his clients were deported

In early 2018, a woman postponed cancer treatment to pay Elvis Harold Reyes more than $ 4000 to change immigration status and allow him to legally stay in Florida, says The Washington Post.

Photo: Shutterstock

She was just one of hundreds of immigrants who approached Reyes. He introduced himself as a philanthropist, lawyer and pastor who studied immigration law as a former FBI agent and who helped the immigrant community through his nonprofit ministry.

Вместо этого, по словам прокуратуры Среднего округа Флориды, он вел «жизнь мошенника», которая привела его жертв к финансовому краху — и даже к депортации.

Reyes, 56, was sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to dozens of charges related to a sophisticated scheme to defraud immigrants by filing fake immigration documents and intercepting messages from the USCIS to cover up fraud. for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

«В течение многих лет Рейес эксплуатировал уязвимых иммигрантов в нашем сообществе и искажал нашу иммиграционную систему для личной выгоды», — говорится в меморандуме федеральной прокуратуры.

Dozens of Reyes' victims on Monday, April 12, spoke at the sentencing hearing and talked about the pain he caused them and their families.

Carmen Sanchez said her son was deported to Mexico after paying Reyes to ensure his family's legal status.

«Когда мы пожаловались ему, Рейес сказал, что собирается позвонить иммиграционным властям, чтобы они пришли к нам домой и разыскали нас», — рассказала Санчес. — Это сыграло на наших надеждах и чувствах».

По словам прокуратуры, его заговор начался как минимум в 2016 году, но, возможно, раньше. В том же году Рейес, который жил в Брэндоне, штат Флорида, начал рекламировать иммиграционные услуги испаноязычным иммигрантским общинам недалеко от района Тампа-Бэй. Он создал некоммерческую организацию EHR Ministries Inc., чтобы побудить жертв «доверять ему и не сомневаться в его дорогостоящих услугах», — заявили в прокуратуре.

On the subject: How to find a free immigration lawyer

On the ministry's website and Facebook page, Reyes described the alleged charity as "a non-profit religious organization and a 501 (C) 3 registered organization with the IRS" and "a certified immigration service provider."

Reyes also posted photos of two fake graduate degrees, which he framed on his wall: a fake bachelor's degree from the University of Bridgeport and a fake law degree from the University of Connecticut Law School. According to emails filed in evidence, none of the universities had any records of Reyes.

When immigrants and their families turned to Reyes for help in finding legal status, Reyes promised them a driver's license and work permits for about $ 5000. But instead of starting a legal trial, he asked victims to sign blank forms and then filed fake asylum applications without telling clients what he was telling immigration officials.

These forms, which claimed that his clients were afraid of returning to their home countries, automatically initiated interviews and hearings. But Reyes provided inaccurate contact information so that he could intercept all communications from USCIS and the courts. When the immigrants failed to show up for the required interviews and in court, the deportation procedure was automatically initiated.

Prosecutors said Reyes completed at least 225 fake forms and stole at least $ 411.

According to court records, at least six of Reyes' victims were deported and another six were ordered in absentia. One client who is married to a US citizen may not be granted legal status due to Reyes' scam.

Due to a lag in the immigration system, Reyes' scam went unnoticed for years, and many of his clients were able to obtain driver's licenses and work permits before officials discovered the fake documents. Many of his victims have built lives in Florida for years without realizing that they have been robbed and may have been about to be deported.

By the time the fraud was discovered, many victims were facing financial despair and insurmountable immigration complications.

«Для уязвимых иммигрантов, пытающихся закрепиться в новой стране, внезапная потеря 5000 долларов может быть катастрофической», — заявили в прокуратуре.

All the while, Reyes spent the money he received from immigrants on a "luxurious lifestyle," which prosecutors said included designer clothes, spa treatments, expensive furniture and expensive jewelry. He paid his girlfriend the rent and gave her a monthly “allowance” of $ 500.

When victims became aware of Reyes' deception, prosecutors said he sometimes threatened them. Reyes sent friends messages boasting that he was turning over his clients to immigration authorities. He called his victims "pieces of trash" and "stupid people."

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

In May 2019, an investigation published by Univision Tampa Bay uncovered Reyes' fraud for the first time and led to an official investigation into the activities of an impostor lawyer. Around the same time, immigration officials also noticed a pattern in Reyes' fabricated forms, prosecutors said.

Reyes had previous convictions, according to prosecutors, including 12 convictions for check and currency fraud and seven convictions for grand theft. Previously, he was caught issuing unpaid home purchases, using another person's social security number to obtain a loan, and signing checks to himself using a stolen checkbook.

Federal Judge Virginia Covington sentenced Reyes to 12 years and 20 months in federal prison on April 9, followed by 36 months of supervised release.

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