A California man posed as a US immigration officer to con vulnerable migrants out of large sums of money. He has pleaded guilty to several federal charges, NBC San Diego reported.David Jorge Brand Jimenez, 55, admitted in a Los Angeles court this week that he impersonated an agent from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in order to defraud immigrants seeking legal status in the United States.Jimenez’s brand targeted undocumented members of the Latino community, promising to help them obtain work permits, legal residency, citizenship, and even green cards. Each victim was charged between $10,000 and $20,000, despite having no authority or ability to provide such services.
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According to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), he pleaded guilty to 10 counts of falsely impersonating a federal officer, along with charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, and unlawful use of government seals. Sentencing is scheduled for July 16, and he could face up to 117 years in prison, along with a $4 million fine and restitution of more than $152,000 to at least 25 victims.Brand Jimenez not only claimed to be an ICE agent, but also falsely represented himself as an official from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In some cases, he told victims that he was an official in the “G18,” a position that did not exist. He never filed legitimate immigration applications on behalf of his victims. Instead, he created fake documents using their names, complete with fake Department of Homeland Security logos, to make his claims appear real.
In one case, he even issued a fabricated deportation order to convince the victim that they would not be deported from the country.The scheme left dozens of victims without any money and without any legal immigration benefits, despite paying large fees in the hope of securing a better future. This case is one of many scams targeting immigrant communities, especially those seeking legal paths to live and work in the United States.