Federal authorities have charged twelve individuals in connection with a large-scale human smuggling and asylum fraud operation that illegally brought thousands of Cuban nationals into the U.S.
Prosecutors say the defendants engaged in extensive money laundering and manipulated the U.S. immigration system to carry out the scheme.
The accused allegedly ran ASESORIA Y SERVICIOS MIGRATORIOS LLC, a fraudulent immigration business offering services such as asylum applications, work permits and residency assistance.
Court records indicate the company submitted deceptive Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications, blocked clients from accessing their USCIS accounts and produced asylum claims without clients’ knowledge.
Attorney General Pam Bondi highlighted the significance of the case.
“This DOJ is investigating and prosecuting human smuggling more aggressively than ever before, and Joint Task Force Alpha is the tip of the spear,” she said.
“We will not rest until those who profit from the suffering of vulnerable people — including many unaccompanied children — face severe, comprehensive justice.”
Investigators say the operation advertised its services through social media and encrypted messaging apps, including a WhatsApp group titled “TRÁMITE DE ESTA Y VISA DE TURISMO A USA PARA CIUDADANOS ESPAÑOLES.”
Videos showcased passports, plane tickets and visa approvals to entice clients.
Fees reportedly ranged from $1,500 to $40,000 per person, with some groups transported on chartered flights.
Financial documents suggest the operation spent more than $2.5 million on flights and laundered over $7 million through platforms such as Zelle, generating upwards of $18 million, according to The Post Millennial.
The indictment also details the trafficking of unaccompanied minors, including instructions for a teenage girl to pose as the lifelong friend of an unrelated adult to facilitate border entry.
Defendants include Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez (Hialeah, FL), Yuniel Lima-Santos (Tampa, FL), Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez (Lebanon, TN), Marianny Lucia Lopez-Torres (Cuba), Frandy Aragon-Diaz (Cuba), Erik Ventura-Castro (Hialeah, FL), Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos (Tampa, FL), Walbis Pozo-Dutel (Katy, TX), Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez (Hialeah, FL), Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero (Tampa, FL), Layra Libertad Treto Santos (Tampa, FL) and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra (Tampa, FL).
Charges include conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, asylum fraud and money laundering.
The investigation was conducted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), a partnership between the DOJ and Department of Homeland Security focusing on human smuggling networks across the Western Hemisphere.
JTFA has secured more than 355 convictions, made over 410 arrests and seized substantial criminal assets since its formation, TPM notes.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe of the Middle District of Florida praised the interagency effort.
“Because of the coordination and diligence of our dedicated law enforcement agencies, their crimes have been thwarted,” he said.
“We will continue working with our partners to protect our national borders.”
ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons added that the conspiracy “preyed on vulnerable individuals and weakened public trust in the immigration system.”
Officials note that this case is part of a wider federal crackdown on international criminal networks.
In recent operations, authorities intercepted enormous shipments of chemical precursors used to manufacture methamphetamine and fentanyl.
One investigation, known as Operation Box Cutter, targeted Chinese companies supplying chemicals for fentanyl production, including an Ohio resident accused of funneling substances to traffickers, as previously covered by Resist the Mainstream.
These actions reflect an ongoing commitment to disrupting transnational criminal enterprises that threaten U.S. communities.
The case is being prosecuted by the DOJ’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with support from multiple federal and international agencies.
It is also part of Operation Take Back America, a broader DOJ initiative aimed at dismantling human smuggling networks and protecting American communities from transnational criminal organizations.
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