A dozen people are facing federal charges for an international smuggling operation that helped Cuban nationals illegally enter the country and claim asylum using bogus documents.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the charges in a superseding indictment earlier this month, alleging the defendants ran an elaborate illegal alien smuggling conspiracy that primarily operated during President Joe Biden’s term.
The scheme alleges asylum fraud, money laundering and other crimes that allegedly brought thousands of immigrants illegally into the United States for profit, according to the indictment.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services played a key role in uncovering the extent of the fraud. Some of the defendants were living in the country illegally, while several others were residents of Tampa, Fla., and Hialeah, Fla.
Twelve people were charged with alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering. These suspects brought thousands of aliens illegally into the United States for profit. This multi-agency investigation showcases the importance of collaboration when combating international… pic.twitter.com/rkcwVW5pnh
— CBP (@CBP) September 10, 2025
“Through diligent investigation, 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, in a statement.
According to the indictment and DOJ news release, the defendants operated a sham immigration business, ASESORIA Y SERVICIOS MIGRATORIOS LLC, which promised asylum filings, work permits, and residency applications.
“In reality, the company churned out boilerplate asylum claims without clients’ knowledge or consent and even blocked them from accessing their own USCIS online accounts,” the DOJ said.
The defendants are accused of helping to prepare visa applications, laundering millions of dollars in payments, and exploiting the immigration process.
“This indictment exposes a criminal organization that smuggled people into the United States on a massive scale, and then fraudulently secured immigration benefits for them,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Posing as a legitimate immigration service, the defendants used social media promotions and false legal filings to attract new clients and perpetuate their fraud.”
The individuals charged in the indictment include:
- Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 27, of Hialeah, FL (unlawfully residing in the United States);
- Yuniel Lima-Santos, 30, of Tampa, FL;
- Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, 26, unlawfully residing in Lebanon, TN;
- Marianny Lucia Lopez-Torres, 25, residing in Cuba, (formerly Hialeah, FL);
- Frandy Aragon-Diaz, 33, of Cuba, (formerly unlawfully residing in Tampa, FL);
- Erik Ventura-Castro, 23, residing in Hialeah, FL;
- Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, 30, of Tampa, FL;
- Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 30, residing in Katy, TX ;
- Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, 28, unlawfully residing in Hialeah, FL;
- Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 31, of Tampa, FL;
- Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 31, of Tampa, FL; and
- Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 40, of Tampa, FL.
They face a range of charges, including conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, conspiracy to commit asylum fraud and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, the DOJ said.
The indictment alleges that, from January 2021 through June 2025, the defendants promoted bogus visa services online to Cuban nationals. They claimed Cubans could secure U.S. entry through false claims of European citizenship.
“This criminal organization operated a front for fake asylum claims, churning out frivolous applications around the country,” Edlow said. “To criminals who seek to exploit our immigration system: we will find you, shut down your schemes, and you will face justice.”
The DOJ claims the defendants filed hundreds of fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization applications with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, using fake addresses and fabricated documents.
“What began as a small operation grew into a commercial enterprise,” according to the DOJ release. “The defendants charged clients between $1,500 and $40,000, sometimes even chartering private planes to move groups of aliens.”
According to court documents, records show they spent over $2.5 million on flights alone and funneled more than $7 million through payment apps such as Zelle.
The investigation revealed 27 known accounts associated with the defendants and their co-conspirators, and a financial analysis found they took in over $18 million during the course of the conspiracy, according to court documents.
The DOJ also alleges the organization smuggled unaccompanied minors. In one case, a teenage girl was told to pose as the lifelong friend of an unrelated adult man when crossing the border.
ASESORIA marketed its services on social media, including Instagram, with flashy ads for immigration services. They also used encrypted messaging platforms, including a WhatsApp group titled, “TRÁMITE DE ESTA Y VISA DE TURISMO A USA PARA CIUDADANOS ESPAÑOLES” (Processing of ESTA and tourist Visas to the USA for Spanish citizens).
According to the DOJ, one promotional video advertised the scheme by showing stacks of passports, airline tickets, and visa approvals.
The investigation and superseding indictment were coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha, a partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to target transnational criminal organizations and eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks.
The U.S. investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations Tampa, the U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Fraud Detection and National Security.
The investigation exposed the depth of a multi-year conspiracy of alien smuggling that “preyed on vulnerable individuals and weakened public trust in the immigration system,” said Todd M. Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Besides on-the-ground enforcement, ICE and Border Patrol also work on dismantling these larger criminal networks and fighting immigration fraud.
Chief Jeffrey J. Dinise of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Miami Sector added: “The message is clear, the United States is closed to illegal immigration and terrorist organizations, and those that make an attempt, will be met with fierce consequences. We are committed to protecting our Florida communities and safeguarding our nation.”
