Manhattan Man Sentenced In White Plains Federal Court To Six Years In Prison For Impersonating Federal Immigration Official To Defraud Victims
summary
Juan Anthony Nieves, a Manhattan resident with no government affiliation, was sentenced to six years in prison for impersonating a federal immigration official to defraud vulnerable immigrants in New York and Connecticut of $15,080 in fraudulent fees while collecting their personal documents.
paragraph
Juan Anthony Nieves was sentenced to six years in prison for impersonating a federal immigration officer to defraud immigrants in New York and Connecticut between March and December 2015. He falsely claimed to be a high-ranking DHS official with authority over approvals and deportations, charging victims thousands of dollars for nonexistent services while collecting their immigration paperwork and identification documents. Nieves was ordered to forfeit $15,080 in ill-gotten gains, pay $15,080 in restitution, and serve three years of supervised release after being prosecuted by the Southern District of New York’s White Plains Division.
narrative
Juan Anthony Nieves, a 49-year-old Manhattan resident with no affiliation to the Department of Homeland Security, posed as a federal immigration official between March and December 2015 to defraud vulnerable immigrants in New York and Connecticut. He claimed to be a 'boss' or 'jefe' working at 26 Federal Plaza with authority to approve entries or order deportations, convincing victims he could expedite their immigration cases in exchange for cash fees. Nieves collected thousands of dollars—totaling $15,080—in fraudulent payments, while also obtaining victims’ personal documents and immigration forms, even staging fake phone calls to supposed colleagues at USCIS to maintain the deception. He exploited language barriers and fear within immigrant communities, undermining trust in legitimate immigration authorities. In addition to a six-year prison sentence, Nieves was ordered to forfeit the $15,080 he stole and pay the same amount as restitution to his victims, along with three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut and local police. Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Won S. Shin in the Southern District of New York’s White Plains Division, the case sent a strong message that impersonating federal officers to prey on immigrants will be met with severe consequences.
Classified affinity-fraud(confidence 90%). EDGAR detection: forms Form D· recall 58% / precision 2%. detection rule →
Parties
federal immigration officialJoon H. Kimjuan anthony nievesjudge cathy seibel
Keywords
immigrationvictimsfederalnievesfederal immigrationwhite plainsplains federalprison impersonatingimpersonating federalimmigration officialofficial defrauddefraud victimsspecial agent-in-chargenewmanhattan
Extracted insights
Dollar amounts 1
- $15K $15,080 $10K–$100K
Entities 4
- person federal immigration official
- person Joon H. Kim
- person juan anthony nieves
- person judge cathy seibel
Triples 10
- Juan Anthony Nieves sentenced to six years in prison
- Juan Anthony Nieves impersonated federal immigration official
- Juan Anthony Nieves defrauded victims in New York and Connecticut
- Juan Anthony Nieves charged fraudulent fees to vulnerable immigrants
- Juan Anthony Nieves received thousands of dollars in fees
- Judge Cathy Seibel sentenced Juan Anthony Nieves
- Juan Anthony Nieves posed as federal immigration officer in March 2015 and November-December 2015
- Juan Anthony Nieves claimed to work at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan
- Juan Anthony Nieves never employed by Department of Homeland Security
- Joon H. Kim is Acting United States Attorney for Southern District of New York
Extracted body text (4,990c)
Press Release Manhattan Man Sentenced In White Plains Federal Court To Six Years In Prison For Impersonating Federal Immigration Official To Defraud Victims Wednesday, April 5, 2017 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Keith Barwick, the Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (“ICE”) Office of Professional Responsibility (“OPR”) Northeast, and Angel M. Melendez, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced that JUAN ANTHONY NIEVES was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel to six years in prison for impersonating a federal immigration official to defraud victims in New York and Connecticut. Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Juan Nieves exploited vulnerable immigrants working toward U.S. citizenship by posing as a federal immigration officer, charging his victims fraudulent fees while providing no assistance. Nieves not only defrauded his victims of money but also undermined their trust in the immigration system. Today’s significant sentence is a clear message that this outrageous behavior will not be tolerated.” OPR Special Agent-in-Charge Keith Barwick said: “This case identified an illegal scheme to extort victims—impersonating a U.S. Department of Homeland Security official undermines the confidence people have in their government and in law enforcement. We are committed to aggressively pursue impersonation cases. Having people come forward to report such schemes is crucial to deterring this type of fraud and preventing others from becoming victims.” HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Angel M. Melendez said: “This law enforcement impersonator demanded thousands of dollars in fees by preying on members of his own community. The imitation of officers is not only illegal, but it also perpetuates a fear and panic within our city. The sentencing of Nieves demonstrates law enforcement’s commitment to locating and prosecuting these criminals so they can face the consequences of their actions.” According to the Complaint and Information filed in White Plains federal court, as well as statements made in connection with the plea and sentencing proceedings: NIEVES is not, and never has been, employed by the Department of Homeland Security. But in March 2015 and from November to December 2015, in Orange County, New York, and Hartford County, Connecticut, NIEVES posed as a federal immigration officer capable of providing assistance in the immigration matters of certain victims and their family members. NIEVES claimed that he was a “boss” or “chief” (“jefe” in Spanish) with United States Immigration; that he worked at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan and had numerous employees working for him; and that he signed the final paperwork that permits an individual to enter the United States or orders an individual to be deported. NIEVES offered to help the victims and their family members with their immigration paperwork and in return demanded and received thousands of dollars in so-called fees. In connection with this purported help, NIEVES received from the victims and their family members legitimate immigration paperwork that they had completed, and he also took photos or made copies of their identification documents. NIEVES also engaged in a charade of purporting to contact, in the victims’ presence, one or more individuals who worked for him at U.S. Customs and Immigration Services to do certain work related to the victims’ applications. In addition to the prison sentence, NIEVES, 49, of Manhattan, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Judge Seibel also ordered NIEVES to forfeit $15,080 in ill-gotten gains and to pay $15,080 in restitution. * * * Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of OPR and HSI. Mr. Kim also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut and the Village of Monroe, New York, Police Department for their assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Won S. Shin is in charge of the prosecution. Updated April 5, 2017 Topic Immigration Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 17-095
OCR text (4,990c · plain-text · 99% conf)
Press Release Manhattan Man Sentenced In White Plains Federal Court To Six Years In Prison For Impersonating Federal Immigration Official To Defraud Victims Wednesday, April 5, 2017 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Keith Barwick, the Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (“ICE”) Office of Professional Responsibility (“OPR”) Northeast, and Angel M. Melendez, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced that JUAN ANTHONY NIEVES was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel to six years in prison for impersonating a federal immigration official to defraud victims in New York and Connecticut. Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Juan Nieves exploited vulnerable immigrants working toward U.S. citizenship by posing as a federal immigration officer, charging his victims fraudulent fees while providing no assistance. Nieves not only defrauded his victims of money but also undermined their trust in the immigration system. Today’s significant sentence is a clear message that this outrageous behavior will not be tolerated.” OPR Special Agent-in-Charge Keith Barwick said: “This case identified an illegal scheme to extort victims—impersonating a U.S. Department of Homeland Security official undermines the confidence people have in their government and in law enforcement. We are committed to aggressively pursue impersonation cases. Having people come forward to report such schemes is crucial to deterring this type of fraud and preventing others from becoming victims.” HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Angel M. Melendez said: “This law enforcement impersonator demanded thousands of dollars in fees by preying on members of his own community. The imitation of officers is not only illegal, but it also perpetuates a fear and panic within our city. The sentencing of Nieves demonstrates law enforcement’s commitment to locating and prosecuting these criminals so they can face the consequences of their actions.” According to the Complaint and Information filed in White Plains federal court, as well as statements made in connection with the plea and sentencing proceedings: NIEVES is not, and never has been, employed by the Department of Homeland Security. But in March 2015 and from November to December 2015, in Orange County, New York, and Hartford County, Connecticut, NIEVES posed as a federal immigration officer capable of providing assistance in the immigration matters of certain victims and their family members. NIEVES claimed that he was a “boss” or “chief” (“jefe” in Spanish) with United States Immigration; that he worked at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan and had numerous employees working for him; and that he signed the final paperwork that permits an individual to enter the United States or orders an individual to be deported. NIEVES offered to help the victims and their family members with their immigration paperwork and in return demanded and received thousands of dollars in so-called fees. In connection with this purported help, NIEVES received from the victims and their family members legitimate immigration paperwork that they had completed, and he also took photos or made copies of their identification documents. NIEVES also engaged in a charade of purporting to contact, in the victims’ presence, one or more individuals who worked for him at U.S. Customs and Immigration Services to do certain work related to the victims’ applications. In addition to the prison sentence, NIEVES, 49, of Manhattan, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Judge Seibel also ordered NIEVES to forfeit $15,080 in ill-gotten gains and to pay $15,080 in restitution. * * * Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of OPR and HSI. Mr. Kim also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut and the Village of Monroe, New York, Police Department for their assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Won S. Shin is in charge of the prosecution. Updated April 5, 2017 Topic Immigration Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 17-095