ORLANDO, Fla. – Four people are facing extortion and fraud charges in connection with what authorities say was a fake immigration law office that stole millions of dollars from vulnerable victims.
Orange County deputies said the operation, run under the name Legacy Imigra.
The backstory:
According to authorities, Legacy Imigra posed as an immigration services firm helping undocumented immigrants obtain legal status, but investigators said no licensed attorneys were involved. Officials said the business operated out of a boarded-up office in Orlando.
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Sheriff John Mina said the suspects used “manipulation, fraud, lies and extortion” to build what he described as a more than $20 million scheme. Authorities said clients’ immigration documents were allegedly withheld until victims paid thousands of dollars in fees.
Sheriff: 4 arrested for…
This involves defrauding the state or using government systems to steal from individuals.
- Tax Identity Theft: A criminal uses your ID and income details to file a tax return in your name and claim a refund before you do.
- Grant/Benefit Fraud: Falsely claiming unemployment, disability, or social grants that the perpetrator is not entitled to.