By Jeremy Walsh
A Jackson Heights businesswoman has been charged with bilking clients out of tens of thousands of dollars after promising to help them with their immigration status, state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said last week.
Miriam Hernandez, 55, ran an informal immigration services operation from her home, allegedly charging her victims as much as $15,000 in exchange for help in securing permanent residence and telling them she had the connections to get them residency within eight months, Cuomo’s office said.
When after eight months the clients did not receive any documentation, they confronted Hernandez and she allegedly threatened to call the authorities if they complained to anyone, Cuomo’s office said.
Hernandez’ attorney, J.A. Sanchez, did not return phone calls by press time Tuesday.
The suit seeks to bar Hernandez from continuing her business and compensate the victims for their losses. Hernandez’s fees ranged from $7,500 to $15,000 per person, Cuomo said. At least 12 people were defrauded, Cuomo said. The suit alleges that the attorney general called Hernandez to testify at a hearing on the matter earlier this year, where she invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to avoid potentially self−incriminating testimony.
“Today’s case is a classic example of fraud — lying, cheating and exploiting people trying to permanently make this country their home,” Cuomo said. “My office will continue its investigation of anyone who seeks to exploit and defraud immigrants.”
A spokeswoman for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said Cuomo’s office had referred them the case for potential criminal charges. The DA is considering the charges, the spokeswoman said.
The suit earned praise from immigrant advocates like Chung−Wha Hong, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition.
“Immigrants, by virtue of being new to this country, often do not know the legal system nor their legal rights,” she said. “This lawsuit and the attorney general’s efforts in this area are significant steps in curtailing this type of fraud and empowering immigrant communities to protect themselves.”
Other local elected officials said they were familiar with Hernandez, but had not had any people complain to their offices.
“There was always rumors and you know how people are,” said Angel Audiffred, a spokesman for City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras (D−East Elmhurst), whose district includes part of Jackson Heights. “We never really put much mind to it.”
But Audiffred said the councilwoman had put together an immigration workshop for her constituents Tuesday to help combat the problem in the neighborhood.
Last month, two men and a woman who operated a storefront church in Corona were charged with defrauding at least 70 immigrants of more than $500,000 by promising to help them get them U.S. visas and permanent immigration status.
Cuomo urged victims of immigration assistance fraud to contact the Attorney General’s Immigration Services Fraud hotline at 212−416−6149.
Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e−mail at jewalsh@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 154.
