Several Cubans among the 12 accused of an immigrant smuggling and asylum fraud network in the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Justice reported that several Cuban citizens are among the 12 individuals charged with being part of an international criminal network engaged in human trafficking, asylum fraud, and money laundering.

The organization, which operated for more than four years, is believed to have illegally brought thousands of people into the country, exploiting vulnerabilities in the immigration system.

"This criminal organization operated as a front for false asylum applications, generating frivolous requests across the country," revealed Joseph Edlow, director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in a statement.

An international conspiracy

According to court documents, the defendants operated a prolific human trafficking operation that offered Cuban citizens the possibility of entering the United States through fraudulent visa applications and fabricated asylum programs.

To accomplish this, they created a business front under the name Asesoría y Servicios Migratorios LLC, through which they offered work and residency permits in exchange for large sums of money.

What started as a limited scheme evolved into a business venture that generated over 18 million dollars in revenue.

The accused charged between $1,500 and $40,000 per person, even going so far as to rent private planes to transport entire groups of foreigners.

They spent over $2.5 million just on flights and channeled at least $7 million through payment apps like Zelle.

Misleading advertising and exploitation on social media

To attract clients, those involved promoted their services on social media and even in WhatsApp groups, such as one titled "PROCESSING ESTA AND TOURIST VISA TO THE U.S. FOR SPANISH CITIZENS."

The ads showcased passports, approved visas, and piles of money, creating a deceptive image of legitimacy.

In parallel, they were publishing videos of foreigners being illegally brought into the country.

In addition, they prepared pre-filled asylum applications that were submitted without the clients' knowledge, who were even blocked from accessing their online accounts with USCIS.

Cases of minors and migration manipulation

The Department of Justice reported that the network was also trafficking unaccompanied minors.

In a specific case, a teenager was instructed to pose as a lifelong friend of an unrelated adult in order to cross the border.

The authorities emphasized that these practices not only violated the law but also put the victims, many of whom were in extremely vulnerable situations, at serious risk.

“Pretending to be a legitimate immigration service, the defendants used promotions on social media and fake legal documents to attract new clients and perpetuate their fraud,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, acting assistant district attorney.

The accused

Among the accused are residents of Florida, Tennessee, and Texas, as well as citizens who still lived in Cuba.

They are:

Lázaro Alain Cabrera-Rodríguez, 27, Hialeah, FL (undocumented resident);

Yuniel Lima-Santos, 30, Tampa, FL;

Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Pérez, 26, Lebanon, TN (illegal resident);

Marianny Lucia Lopez-Torres, 25, resident in Cuba, previously in Hialeah, FL;

Frandy Aragon-Diaz, 33, Cuba, previously in Tampa, FL (illegal resident);

Erik Ventura-Castro, 23, Hialeah, FL;

Miguel Alejandro Martínez Vasconcelos, 30, Tampa, FL;

Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 30, Katy, TX;

Emanuel Martínez González, 28, Hialeah, FL (illegal resident);

Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 31, Tampa, FL;

Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 31, Tampa, FL;

Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 40, Tampa, FL.

According to the acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Todd M. Lyons, for several years the group "exploited vulnerable individuals and undermined public confidence in the immigration system."

The formal accusation asserts that the crimes include conspiracy to traffic immigrants, asylum fraud, and money laundering.

Some of the defendants face multiple charges, depending on their level of involvement.

Reactions from the authorities

The highest federal authorities emphasized the scale of the police operation.

Pamela Bondi, the Attorney General, stated that the Department of Justice "is prosecuting human trafficking more aggressively than ever."

The case is part of Operation "Let's Recover America," which mobilizes all the agency's resources to address illegal immigration and achieve the complete eradication of cartels and transnational criminal organizations.

Chief Jeffrey J. Dinise of the Border Patrol was emphatic. "The message is clear: the United States is closed to illegal immigration, and those who attempt it will face severe consequences," he asserted.

The process, which spans from January 2021 to June 2025, marks one of the most significant recent blows against human trafficking networks connected to Cuba and Florida.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Immigrant Trafficking and Asylum Fraud Network in the U.S.