Caught in the Act: Massive Smuggling Ring Busted in Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme
A sophisticated international criminal organization that allegedly smuggled thousands of people into the United States and laundered millions of dollars has been dismantled, with twelve individuals now facing federal charges in a superseding indictment.
According to court documents, the defendants ran a massive alien smuggling operation that brought Cuban nationals into the U.S. under false pretenses.
The group, operating a sham business called ASESORIA Y SERVICIOS MIGRATORIOS LLC, used social media and encrypted messaging apps to advertise fraudulent visa services and lure unsuspecting clients.
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A Lucrative and Deceptive Operation
Between January 2021 and June 2025, the organization allegedly funneled over $18 million by charging desperate clients between $1,500 and $40,000 for its services. The defendants are accused of promoting bogus visa applications, including promising U.S. entry through false claims of European citizenship.
“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.
The scheme involved filing hundreds of fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications with fake addresses and fabricated documents. In one video promoting the operation, stacks of passports, airline tickets, and visa approvals were shown to potential clients.
Exploiting the Vulnerable
The defendants didn’t just target adults. The indictment reveals that the organization also smuggled unaccompanied minors. In one shocking instance, a teenage girl was instructed to pose as the “lifelong friend” of an unrelated man to cross the border. The ring is also accused of operating a “front for fake asylum claims,” churning out frivolous applications without the clients’ knowledge and even blocking them from accessing their own immigration accounts.
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“This superseding indictment exposes the depth of a multi-year conspiracy of alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering that preyed on vulnerable individuals and weakened public trust in the immigration system,” said Acting Director Todd M. Lyons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Justice Department Delivers a Strong Message
The charges were coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), a partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. This multi-agency effort, part of the nationwide Operation Take Back America, aims to eliminate human smuggling networks and protect national borders.
The superseding indictment charges twelve individuals, including residents of Florida, Tennessee, and Texas, with various crimes, including conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering.
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“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,” said Chief Jeffrey J. Dinise of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Miami Sector.
The case is being prosecuted by the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The investigation was led by HSI Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and USCIS’s Fraud Detection and National Security, with support from law enforcement partners in the Cayman Islands.
The indictment charges:
- Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 27, unlawfully residing in Hialeah, FL;
- 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.
According to the superseding indictment:
- All defendants except Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra are charged with conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain.
- Yuniel Lima-Santos and Frandy Aragon-Diaz are also charged with alien smuggling for financial gain.
- Yuniel Lima-Santos, Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, Frandy Aragon-Diaz, Layra Libertad Treto Santos, and Gisleivy Peralta Consuerga are charged with conspiracy to commit asylum fraud.
- Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, Yuniel Lima-Santos, Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, Frandy Aragon-Diaz, Erik Ventura-Castro, Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, and Layra Libertad Treto Santos are charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
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