Rhode Island Woman and Daughters Charged with Wire Fraud

BOSTON – Patria Zuniga, a 53-year-old woman from Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and her two daughters, Alba Peña, 24, and Indranis Rocheford, 27, have been charged with federal wire fraud charges in connection with a scheme to defraud immigrants of hundreds of thousands of dollars over several years.

According to court documents, Zuniga, Peña, and Rocheford targeted immigrant victims with either no lawful status or temporary legal status in the United States, telling them that Zuniga worked for immigration authorities and could assist them in obtaining lawful immigration status documents. The services were initially offered to immigrant victims for $8,000 to $14,000, but after the victims made the payments, Zuniga demanded additional funds, and threatened to have them deported if they refused to pay.

The indictment, which was unsealed this morning, charges Zuniga, Peña, and Rocheford with eight separate counts of wire fraud. Zuniga was initially charged with one count of wire fraud in May and has been in custody since May 13, 2015. Peña and Rocheford were arrested at their homes in Rhode Island this morning and are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy today at 2 p.m.

It is alleged that Zuniga, Peña, and Rocheford received more than $800,000 from immigrant victims over the course of the fraud. “Dreams of a better life and a way out of the shadows make the immigrant community particularly susceptible to abusive immigration services scams like this one,” said U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. “The defendants are alleged to have illegally enriched themselves by exploiting the vulnerability of immigrants and their families. This indictment should serve as a stern warning to other fraudsters that preying on the most vulnerable among us is illegal and will be prosecuted,” she added.

The charging statutes provide for a maximum sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is being prosecuted by Jordi de Llano of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit. United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigation in Boston, and Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement today. The details contained in charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

As the investigation continues, Grimy Times will provide updates on this developing story. In the meantime, we urge anyone who may have been a victim of this scheme to come forward and contact the authorities.

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