Sheriff: Immigration agency and founder arrested for racketeering and fraud

Legacy Imigra immigration agency and its founder arrested for racketeering, fraud, and extortion, victimizing hundreds of Brazilian nationals.

Legacy Imigra immigration agency The legacy Imigra immigration agency and its founder were arrested for racketeering, fraud, and extortion. Hundreds of victims, mostly Brazilian nationals.

By James Tutten and Angel Green

Update:

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A full-service immigration agency, Legacy Imigra, and its founder, Vagner Soares De Almeida, along with his wife Juliana Colucci, and their associates, were arrested on charges of Racketeering, Organized Fraud, Extortion, and Unauthorized Practice of Law.

The agency amassed over $20 million in ill-gotten proceeds while victimizing hundreds of people, mostly Brazilian nationals, by falsely claiming they were qualified immigration attorneys and charging significant fees for fraudulent or improperly filed applications.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Attorney General’s Office dismantled the criminal organization.

Original Release:

Sheriff John Mina (Nick Papantonis)

Orange County Sheriff John Mina is planning to hold a news conference on Wednesday.

Mina is planning to speak around 10:30 a.m. from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials have not said what will be discussed, only that it is related to an “important” case.

Channel 9 will have a crew at the news conference and provide updates on Eyewitness News.

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