Federal prosecutors announced charges against 12 defendants accused of running an international conspiracy to smuggle Cuban nationals into the United States, file fraudulent asylum claims, and launder millions of dollars.
According to the indictment, from January 2021 through June 2025 the group created a sham immigration business that promised work permits and residency applications. Instead, they filed fraudulent visa paperwork and asylum claims while funneling more than $18 million through payment apps such as Zelle.
Defendants Charged
Those named in the indictment include:
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Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 27, of Hialeah, FL (unlawfully in the U.S.)
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Yuniel Lima-Santos, 30, of Tampa, FL
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Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, 26, unlawfully residing in Lebanon, TN
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Marianny Lucia Lopez-Torres, 25, in Cuba (formerly Hialeah, FL)
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Frandy Aragon-Diaz, 33, in Cuba (formerly Tampa, FL)
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Erik Ventura-Castro, 23, of Hialeah, FL
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Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, 30, of Tampa, FL
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Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 30, of Katy, TX
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Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, 28, unlawfully in Hialeah, FL
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Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 31, of Tampa, FL
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Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 31, of Tampa, FL
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Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 40, of Tampa, FL
Massive Conspiracy
Prosecutors said the group charged clients $1,500 to $40,000, sometimes chartering private planes to move migrants. Records show $2.5 million spent on flights alone.
The organization also smuggled unaccompanied minors. In one case, a teenage girl was instructed to pose as the lifelong friend of an unrelated adult man.
Sham Business
Operating under the name ASESORIA Y SERVICIOS MIGRATORIOS LLC, the defendants promised asylum services but instead filed boilerplate claims without clients’ consent and blocked them from accessing their USCIS accounts.
“This indictment exposes a criminal organization that smuggled people into the United States on a massive scale, and then fraudulently secured immigration benefits for them,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti.
DOJ Crackdown
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the indictment reflects the administration’s aggressive push against human smuggling. “We will not rest until those who profit from the suffering of vulnerable people — including many unaccompanied children — face severe, comprehensive justice.”
The case was brought under Joint Task Force Alpha, which coordinates U.S. and international law enforcement agencies. Officials say the task force has produced over 410 arrests, 355 convictions, and seized millions in assets since its creation.
