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Yunier Pérez Bertemati, a 40-year-old Cuban citizen, has been formally charged by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida for a series of offenses related to immigration fraud, identity theft, and illicit financial activities.
According to the press release issued by the United States Department of Justice, Pérez Bertemati faces 22 charges, including access device fraud, possession and trafficking of unauthorized device manufacturing equipment, aggravated identity theft, making false statements in an immigration application, and making false statements to a federal agent.
The investigation, in which the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provided significant collaboration, revealed that between November 2023 and January 2025, Pérez Bertemati was involved in the sale of fake credit and debit cards that contained information from accounts stolen from victims.
Furthermore, it marketed "data extraction" equipment, devices used to capture information from credit or debit cards when they are used at point-of-sale terminals, such as gas stations or ATMs.
In the realm of immigration, the Cuban recently applied for U.S. citizenship, but provided false statements both in his naturalization application and during an interview with a USCIS officer.
According to the federal court system records, the case USA v. Pérez Bertemati was officially filed on May 1, 2025 in the Middle District Court of Florida, under the case number 6:25-cr-00120.
Previously, on March 20, an initial complaint (case 6:25-mj-01270) had been filed, which was sealed by order of magistrate judge Robert M. Norway at the request of the prosecution, indicating the confidential nature of the early stages of the investigation.
If found guilty, he faces maximum penalties of 10 years in federal prison for each of the access device fraud charges, 15 years for charges related to manufacturing devices, 10 years for making false statements in his immigration application, and 5 years for making false statements to a federal agent.
Finally, the judicial authorities may impose a mandatory sentence of 2 years in prison for the charges of aggravated identity theft.
Additionally, the accusation notifies Pérez Bertemati that the United States intends to recover $9,650, an amount that is allegedly the profit resulting from the crime.
Records from the Florida Department of State reveal that Pérez Bertemati was the president and registered agent of the company Alejandro Trucking Inc, based in Orlando.
The company was established on July 24, 2014, and administratively dissolved on September 24, 2021, due to non-compliance with the submission of required annual reports.
Although this company has not been officially linked to the current charges, the existence of a corporate entity in the defendant's name could provide additional leads in the context of the federal investigation, especially if it was used as a front for his illegal activities.
In this case, in addition to USCIS, the United States Secret Service, the Customs and Border Protection (ICE), and the Agricultural Law Enforcement Office of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services were involved.
“This case is part of the Operation Take Back America, a national initiative that brings together all resources from the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the complete dismantling of cartels and international criminal organizations, and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crimes,” added USCIS in a press release.
Frequently Asked Questions about the case of Yunier Pérez Bertemati and the immigration fraud
Who is Yunier Pérez Bertemati and what is he accused of?
Yunier Pérez Bertemati is a 40-year-old Cuban citizen, formally charged by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida. He faces 22 counts related to immigration fraud, identity theft, and illicit financial activities, including access device fraud and false statements in immigration applications.
What financial crimes are attributed to Yunier Pérez Bertemati?
Pérez Bertemati is accused of participating in the sale of false credit and debit cards using stolen information from victims' accounts. He is also credited with marketing "data extraction" equipment to seize information from bank cards at point-of-sale terminals.
What are the possible penalties that Pérez Bertemati faces if found guilty?
If found guilty, Pérez Bertemati faces maximum sentences of 10 years in prison for access device fraud, 15 years for possession of equipment used to manufacture devices, 10 years for false statements in immigration matters, and 5 years for false statements to a federal agent, in addition to 2 extra years for aggravated identity theft.
Which organizations participated in the investigation of the case?
The investigation involved the collaboration of several federal agencies, including the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S. Secret Service, the Customs and Border Protection Office (ICE), and others. These agencies worked together to dismantle the fraud network led by Pérez Bertemati.
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