A massive multi-agency investigation has dismantled an elaborate criminal enterprise in Florida that allegedly fleeced undocumented immigrants out of millions by posing as a legitimate legal firm.
For years, Legacy Imigra marketed itself as a full-service agency, promising that its staff of attorneys would guide clients through the complex process of securing asylum or lawful status in the United States.
Law enforcement officials reveal that the business was nothing more than a front for a massive fraud operation. Vagner Soares De Almeida, the founder of Legacy Imigra, was arrested this week alongside his wife, Juliana Colucci, and two associates, Ronaldo Decampos and Lucas Felipe Trindade Silva.
The group is accused of amassing over $20 million by preying on vulnerable individuals, particularly within the Brazilian community.
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Authorities from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Attorney General’s Office say the operation relied on a predatory business model.
According to investigators, the suspects profited through “manipulation, fraud, lies and extortion.” While the owners grew wealthy, the majority of their clients saw no progress in their legal status.
While seven victims have officially come forward so far—reporting individual losses ranging from $2,500 to $26,000—investigators believe the scale of the scam is far larger. “We believe there could be hundreds more,” officials stated during the announcement of the arrests.
The four suspects now face heavy charges, including Racketeering, Organized Fraud, Extortion, and the Unauthorized Practice of Law.
Local authorities are urging anyone who may have been targeted by Legacy Imigra or its subsidiaries to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 407-836-4357.
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