Andreea Dumitru, a 42-year-old immigration attorney based in Queens, New York, has been charged with asylum fraud and making false statements, according to a recent indictment.
According to the allegations, Dumitru submitted over 180 fraudulent I-589 Forms in connection with applications for asylum between 2012 and 2017. The applications contained false statements and representations about the applicants’ criminal histories, personal narratives of alleged persecution, and locations.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman stated, “Andreea Dumitru, an immigration attorney, is alleged to have submitted fraudulent forms for over 180 clients, each containing statements and representations she knew to be false. She now faces prison time for her alleged crimes.”
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Angel M. Melendez added, “Dumitru is alleged to have used her trusted position to defraud the government, submitting fraudulent documents to claim asylum. Her alleged actions took up time and resources while those with valid asylum claims waited in line. Now, Dumitru will enter a courtroom as a defendant to face the consequences for her alleged actions.”
Dumitru faces one count of asylum fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of making false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Lewis A. Kaplan and is being prosecuted by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alison G. Moe and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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