Several Florida residents are among a group of 12 people who have been charged in their roles in an international operation that involved operating a “sham” immigration business to smuggle migrants into the United States, federal officials said Thursday.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the group is accused of facilitating the smuggling operation by preparing visa applications, laundering millions of dollars in payment and exploiting the immigration process through the business, ASESORIA Y SERVICIOS MIGRATORIOS LLC.
“Through diligent investigation, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and our partners exposed a multi-national, multi-year, multi-million dollar criminal conspiracy operated by aliens that attempted to undermine our immigration system and flood our country with illegal aliens — none of whom had any intention of following our laws,” said USCIS Director Joseph Edlow. “This criminal organization operated a front for fake asylum claims, churning out frivolous applications around the country. To criminals who seek to exploit our immigration system: we will find you, shut down your schemes, and you will face justice.”
From January 2021 through June of this year, the defendants posed as a legitimate immigration service and used social media to claim Cuban nationals could secure U.S. entry through false claims of European citizenship, officials said.
The defendants promoted their services on social media through promotional videos and communicated through a WhatsApp group called “TRÁMITE DE ESTA Y VISA DE TURISMO A USA PARA CIUDADANOS ESPAÑOLES” (Processing of ESTA and tourist Visas to the USA for Spanish citizens), officials said.
The organization took in over $18 million during the course of the conspiracy, officials said. They allegedly charged clients between $1,500 and $40,000. Records show they spent over $2.5 million on flights alone, sometimes even chartering private planes to move groups of migrants, and funnelled over $7 million through payment apps like Zelle.
“This DOJ is investigating and prosecuting human smuggling more aggressively than ever before, and Joint Task Force Alpha is the tip of the spear,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not rest until those who profit from the suffering of vulnerable people — including many unaccompanied children — face severe, comprehensive justice.”
The following have been indicted:
Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 27, of Hialeah, who lives illegally in the U.S.
Yuniel Lima-Santos, 30, of Tampa
Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, 26, who lives illegally in Lebanon, TN
Marianny Lucia Lopez-Torres, 25, residing in Cuba (formerly Hialeah)
Frandy Aragon-Diaz, 33, of Cuba, who lives illegally in Tampa
Erik Ventura-Castro, 23, residing in Hialeah
Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, 30, of Tampa
Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 30, residing in Katy, TX
Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, 28, who lives illegally in Hialeah
Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 31, of Tampa
Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 31, of Tampa
Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 40, of Tampa
The charges are the following:
All defendants except Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra are charged with conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain.
Yuniel Lima-Santos and Frandy Aragon-Diaz are also charged with alien smuggling for financial gain.
Yuniel Lima-Santos, Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, Frandy Aragon-Diaz, Layra Libertad Treto Santos and Gisleivy Peralta Consuerga are charged with conspiracy to commit asylum fraud.
Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, Yuniel Lima-Santos, Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, Frandy Aragon-Diaz, Erik Ventura-Castro, Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero and Layra Libertad Treto Santos are charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.