USCIS Plays Critical Role in Investigation Leading to the indictment of a Miami Immigration Consultant for Fraud Scheme

MIAMI – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), District Director, Linda M. Swacina announced today that a Miami-Dade woman is charged with stealing immigration application payments from her clients when she prepared fraudulent petitions filed with USCIS.  USCIS partnered on the investigation and announcement with Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; and Robert C. Hutchinson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI).

The case involves Josefa M. Siverio, 60, of Miami-Dade, who is charged by indictment with five counts of mail fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341; and three counts of conversion of postal money orders, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 500.

As alleged in the indictment, Siverio is an immigration consulting and services provider who prepared immigration petitions and applications for aliens seeking immigration benefits from the USCIS.  Siverio is alleged to have prepared fraudulent petitions and stolen checks and money orders entrusted to her to pay the fees associated with the petitions and applications for immigration benefits.  It is alleged that Siverio’s clients provided her with blank checks and money orders for the application fees and Siverio made the checks and money orders payable to herself and deposited the checks and money orders into her personal bank accounts.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI and USCIS. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Beamer.

An indictment is merely an accusation and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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