PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence attorney pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud and tax evasion in connection with a scheme to defraud immigration clients and evade federal taxes. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services provided valuable assistance to the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island made the announcement.
Joseph Molina?Flynn, 43, a former immigration attorney who practiced in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. Molina-Flynn admitted that he devised and executed a scheme between 2019 and 2023 to defraud immigration clients by collecting legal and filing fees for services he did not perform and providing some clients with false information about the status of their immigration matters. Molina-Flynn admitted that he collected approximately $98,000 from immigration…
This remains the most prevalent form of financial crime globally. It targets the direct access points to your money: your cards and your bank accounts.
- Skimming: Criminals use small devices called “skimmers” placed over ATM or point-of-sale card slots to capture the data from your card’s magnetic strip.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs during online shopping where a physical card isn’t required. Thieves use stolen card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes to make unauthorized purchases.
- Account Takeover (ATO): A hacker gains access to your online banking credentials (often through malware or phishing) and changes the contact details or passwords, locking you out while they drain your funds.