Agency: California Attorney General (CA AG)
Description:
On December 12, 2016, Oswaldo Rafael Cabrera (Cabrera), the owner of Coalicion Latinoamericana Internacional, was arrested and faces felony charges filed by the California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris for allegedly defrauding migrant clients.
Cabrera, who is not licensed as an attorney in California, was charged with 22 counts of grand theft, attempted grand theft, attempted perjury, and conspiracy to engage in the unlawful practice of law. Charges were also filed against his wife, Maria Marcelina Rodas (Rodas).
Cabrera often posed as an attorney and provided legal consultations and services, charging up to $9,000. He masqueraded as an immigration lawyer and expert with a proven record of helping immigrants on major media platforms in both mainstream and Spanish-language media and used his prominent profile to solicit customers who he then defrauded.
Cabrera repeatedly misled his victims about the status of their cases, misinformed them about their eligibility for immigration relief, and completed immigration forms improperly while continuing to collect victims' money. He ignored or lied to victims in an attempt to avoid giving refunds, sometimes for thousands of dollars, while denying any wrongdoing. In some instances, Cabrera's handling of immigration cases had irreparable consequences, leading to the deportation of victims' family members. He also provided immigration consulting services without having completed the necessary registration with the California Secretary of State, and he and Rodas conspired to violate the Immigration Consultants Act.
The press release describing the charges can be found here.
Date of Action: 12/12/2016
Agency: California Attorney General (CA AG)
Description:
On February 22, 2017, the California Attorney General Xavier Becerra Announced that Oswaldo Rafael Cabrera was sentenced to five years and two months in state prison after pleading guilty to felony charges involving grand theft, attempted perjury and conspiracy to violate the Immigration Consultants Act. Cabrera's wife, Maria Marcelina Rodas, was sentenced to three years of felony probation for charges that she conspired to violate the Immigration Consultants Act.
After filing the initial complaint, additional victims came forward, and on February 14, 2017, the Attorney General's Office filed an amended complaint alleging 36 felony counts and two sentence enhancements.
The press release relating to the sentence can be found here.
Date of Action: 2/22/2017