Even two of the accused, aged 25 and 33 respectively, currently reside on the island.
Miami, United States. – The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) He reported Thursday that 12 people were accused of their alleged participation in an international conspiracy of traffic of people, asylum fraud and money laundering that “facilitated the illegal entry of Cuban nationals” into US territory through visa applications and fraudulent migratory procedures.
According to judicial documents cited in The DOJ statementthe organization – described as “migrant smuggling operator” – prepared visa requests, washed millions of dollars in payments and exploited the migratory system to profit from the irregular income of people, including Cubans.
Between January 2021 and June 2025, the defendants announced “services” of online visa and promised Cubans the entrance to the US with alleged European citizenships, for which they submitted hundreds of false applications to the system is from the Customs Office and Border Protection (CBP), using homes and manufactured documents.
The scheme was promoted in social networks and in encrypted messaging groups, including a WhatsApp chat entitled “Processing of this and Tourism Visa to the USA for Spanish citizens.”
The DOJ said that what began as a small operation resulted in a business: customers paid between $ 1,500 and $ 40,000, and sometimes private airplanes were burned to move groups. Financial records show more than 2.5 million dollars spent only on flights, more than 7 million channeled through applications such as Zelle and more than 18 million entered into 27 accounts linked to the organization during conspiracy.
The organization also trafficked unaccompanied, including a teenager who was indicated to impede as a lifelong friend of an adult without relationship when crossing the border, according to the DOJ.
At the same time, the defendants operated the company Facade LLC migratory advice and services (Tampa), which promised asylum requests, work permits and residences. Actually, according to the statement, it generated “series models” of asylum stories without customer knowledge or consent and blocked their access to USCIS online accounts. The same Instagram account that offered migratory services published videos of the smuggling of people to the US.
Charges and defendants
The DOJ listed the 12 defendants and their places of residence, including Hialeah (FL), Tampa (FL), Katy (Tx) and Cuba. Two of them reside in The island: Marianny Lucía López-Torres, 25 years (resident in Cuba, before in Hialeah), and Frandy Aragón-Díaz, 33 (from Cuba, previously resided “illegally” in Tampa). Lázaro Alain Cabrera-Rodríguez, 27 (Hialeah, resides “illegally” in the US); Yuniel Lima-Santos, 30 (Tampa); Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Pérez, 26 (resides “illegally” in Lebanon, Tennessee); Erik Ventura-Castro, 23 (Hialeah); Miguel Alejandro Martínez Vasconcelos, 30 (Tampa); Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 30 (Katy, Texas); Emanuel Martínez González, 28 (resides “illegally” in Hialeah); Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 31 (Tampa); Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 31 (Tampa); and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 40 (Tampa).
As for the positions, the DOJ details that all except Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra are accused of “conspiracy to commit traffic of people for profit.” Yuniel Lima-Santos and Frandy Aragón-Díaz also face charges of “for profit trafficking”; Lima-Santos, Vega-Pérez, Aragón-Díaz, Treto Santos and Peralta Consuegra are accused of “conspiracy to commit fraud of asylum”; and Cabrera-Rodríguez, Lima-Santos, Vega-Pérez, Aragón-Díaz, Ventura-Castro, Martínez Vasconcelos, Escalona-Marrero and Treto Santos face “conspiracy to wash monetary instruments.”
“The DOJ is investigating and processing the smuggling of people more aggressively than ever, and the Joint Task Force Alfa is the spearhead,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi, cited in the statement of the federal entity. “We will not rest until those who profit from the suffering of vulnerable people – including many unaccompanied minors – in front of severe and integral justice.”
“This accusation exposes a criminal organization that introduced large -scale people in the United States and then assured them of migratory benefits in a fraudulent way,” said Interim Deputy Attorney Matthew R. Galeotti. “Making a legitimate immigration service, the defendants used promotions in social networks and false legal writings to attract new clients and perpetuate their fraud.”
The investigation was in charge of HSI Tampa, the Miami of the Border Patrol and the National Security and National Security Detection Directorate, with the support of the HSI people traffic unit in Washington, DC, and the National CBP selection center.
The DOJ stressed that an accusation is just an allegation and that the defendants are presumed innocent until their guilt is demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt in a court.
