A Texas couple’s brazen scheme to swindle undocumented immigrants out of thousands of dollars has landed them in federal prison. Marcos Rodriguez-Nunez, 34, of Mexico, and his wife, Beatriz Adriana Rodriguez, 40, of McAllen, were sentenced to 75 months and 41 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a mail and wire fraud conspiracy.
The couple’s scheme began in November 2015 and continued through July 2018, during which time they created fraudulent postings on Facebook claiming to possess the ability to obtain, generate, or provide individuals with immigration status, including citizenship, to remain in the United States or state driver’s licenses.
The victims, mostly undocumented aliens with no criminal history, were taken advantage of by the couple’s predatory actions. Some were looking for a means to obtain status to work, while others were paying exorbitant funds to have a way to be with their children. Judge Micaela Alvarez noted the substantial financial hardship placed on most, if not all, of the victims.
The couple would claim to be employees or agents of various government agencies, including the Social Security Administration, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Immigration and Naturalization Services, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or the Department of Homeland Security. Victims would send them money orders or wire transfers, which the couple would then claim had issues arising with the processing of the immigration status or driver’s license.
When victims refused to pay or stopped paying, Rodriguez-Nunez would personally impersonate federal officials, threatening them with arrests and deportation. He also caused automated messages to be sent with similar threats. In addition, Rodriguez-Nunez would send lewd pictures of genitalia to his victims to taunt them for their losses.
The couple will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. Authorities believe there were more than 60 victims in at least 10 different states affected by the couple’s conduct, with losses totaling over $250,000. The couple was ordered to pay $174,010 in restitution and forfeit $68,900 and $74,200, respectively.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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