Press Release
MIAMI GROUP SENTENCED IN CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD ALIENS
September 18, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jeffrey H. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Steven J. Mocsary, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Professional Responsibility, and Donald Balberchak, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Inspector General, announced that defendants Nestor Romero, 56, Ada Calveiro, 60, and Rafael Diaz De La Rocha, 52, all of Miami, were sentenced today on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false statements in immigration papers, and wire fraud. Nestor Romero was also sentenced on a substantive charge of impersonating an officer and employee of the United States. Romero was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment, Calveiro was sentenced to 40 months’ imprisonment, and Diaz De La Rocha was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment.
According to evidence presented at trial of Calveiro, the defendants were part of a scheme to defraud aliens by soliciting payments from them and falsely promising to assist them with immigration matters. More specifically, from approximately February 2003 through November 2004, defendant Calveiro, and previously convicted co-defendants, Nestor Romero and Rafael Diaz De La Rocha, completed and submitted fraudulent applications for work authorizations on behalf of illegal aliens, collecting as much as $7,500 from each defrauded alien. The scheme transpired in Florida and in New York. As part of the scheme, Nestor Romero represented himself to be an immigration attorney and/or an employee with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who could provide services to illegal aliens. As a result, hundreds of victims were defrauded.
After receiving payments for his alleged services, defendant Romero prepared false immigration documents using personal information belonging to numerous identity theft victims, including alien registration numbers belonging to individuals who had not requested such applications. Through this scheme, the defendants collected more than $426,700 from aliens in connection with their immigration business. The five year investigation within the Department of Homeland Security was initiated after receiving reports from multiple victims. None of the fraudulent applications were approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Acting U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman stated, “Identity theft and immigration fraud were part and parcel of the defendants’ scheme to enrich themselves at the expense of others. Two different sets of people were victimized – those whose identities were stolen, and those whose dreams of legal residence were shattered. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to fighting fraud and abuse, whether it be fraud on our Medicare system, in our financial markets, or to our immigration system.”
“People who earn substantial sums preying on the hopes of aliens face arrest and prosecution,” said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for ICE John Morton. “ICE will protect the integrity of the immigration system and target those unscrupulous criminals who pose as agency officials and tarnish our image.”
Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility and the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly S. Karase and Susan R. Osborne.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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