U.S. Charges Twelve People in Cuban Migrant Smuggling Network

Cuban Migrant Smuggling Network

Twelve Charged for Immigration Fraud

Prosecutors Investigate Money Laundering

According to EFE, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed charges against twelve people accused of operating an international network for smuggling Cuban migrants, asylum fraud, and money laundering.

Authorities claim the organization illegally brought thousands of Cuban citizens into U.S. territory for more than four years.

The case reveals a sophisticated scheme that exploited the immigration system for profit, generating millions of dollars in illicit gains.

According to court documents, the defendants designed a plan that included false visa applications, money laundering, and the fraudulent use of identities.

Million-Dollar Cuban Migrant Smuggling Network

Human smuggling network of Cubans in the U.S. dismantled! Learn the details! https://t.co/WGjM4BJ4GP

— Diario La Tribuna (@LaTribunahn) September 4, 2025

Between January 2021 and June 2025, the network offered on social media and encrypted platforms fake services to obtain visas and work permits.

Clients, mostly Cuban migrants desperate to reach the United States, paid amounts ranging from $1,500 to $40,000 per person.

It is estimated that the network collected more than $18 million, which was later laundered through multiple transactions.

The defendants also organized private flights, brought in unaccompanied minors, and manipulated official immigration accounts without their users’ knowledge.

Immigration Consulting as a Front

The U.S. Attorney’s Office accused twelve people of participating in an international conspiracy of migrant smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering, which illegally brought thousands of Cubans into the U.S. for profit.

Between January 2021 and June 2025,… pic.twitter.com/QdlZyBZQ8L

— NMás (@nmas) September 4, 2025

The business front used was called Asesoría y Servicios Migratorios LLC, which promised legal assistance in immigration processes.

In practice, this company filed fraudulent applications on behalf of clients, restricted access to their USCIS accounts, and withheld key information.

The operation created a web of deception in which migrants were trapped, unable to access their own legal processes.

For authorities, this was a large-scale criminal conspiracy that harmed both victims and the US immigration system.

U.S. Charges Cuban Migrants and Asylum Fraud

US Charges Twelve People in Cuban Migrant Smuggling Network – PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Acting Deputy Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti explained the seriousness of the case in an official statement.

“This indictment exposes a criminal organization that brought people into the United States on a large scale and then fraudulently obtained immigration benefits for them,” Galeotti said.

The investigation identified twelve individuals as directly responsible for the international conspiracy.

The accused were named in the formal indictment and face multiple federal charges.

Main Defendants Identified

Among those charged are Lázaro Alain Cabrera-Rodríguez and Yuniel Lima-Santos, considered leaders of the organization.

Also included are Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Pérez, Marianny Lucía Lopez-Torres, and Frandy Aragón-Díaz, allegedly in charge of recruiting clients.

Others named are Erik Ventura-Castro and Miguel Alejandro Martínez Vasconcelos, accused of participating in financial operations linked to money laundering.

Walbis Pozo-Dutel and Emanuel Martínez González were charged with managing irregular flights and transfers.

Immigration Conspiracy and Money Laundering

Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, Layra Libertad Treto Santos, and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra complete the group indicted for immigration fraud.

The magnitude of the case shows how criminal networks have exploited Cuban migrants’ desire to reach US territory.

In many collected testimonies, victims were unaware that their asylum applications were being manipulated and that they were falling victim to a multimillion-dollar fraud.

Authorities emphasized that the defendants enriched themselves at the expense of the vulnerability of entire families seeking opportunities in the United States.

Federal Investigation Remains Open

The case adds to a series of federal operations against human smuggling networks that have proliferated in recent years.

The Department of Justice indicated that the investigation remains open and that new charges or defendants may be added in the future.

If convicted, the defendants could face lengthy sentences for conspiracy to smuggle migrants, asylum fraud, and money laundering.

Prosecutors highlighted that this case aims to send a strong message against organizations profiting from migration desperation.

Warning Against Immigration Fraud

With this operation, the US government seeks to strengthen its efforts to combat immigration fraud and protect the integrity of the asylum system.

The case also highlights the risks of trusting so-called consultancies that operate outside the law and end up scamming vulnerable migrants.

The formal indictment represents another step in the fight against organized crime exploiting migration routes in the continent.

The official message is clear: those who participate in smuggling networks will face the full weight of the law.