MINNEAPOLIS, MN – In a stunning expose by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Yuridia Hernandez Linares, 36, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for masterminding a visa fraud scheme that targeted vulnerable victims of crime. The sentence was handed down by Chief Judge John R. Tunheim in the U.S. District Court in Minneapolis.
Hernandez Linares, who resided in an undisclosed location at the time of her arrest, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Between August 20, 2019, and September 30, 2019, she orchestrated a complex plot involving false reports of robberies committed in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, as a means to obtain U Nonimmigrant Visas (U-Visas) for four individuals.
The fraudulent scheme involved the victims reporting fabricated assaults they claimed to have suffered. In a chilling turn of events, Hernandez Linares herself inflicted injuries on these unsuspecting individuals with a box cutter before they filed their false police reports. For their part in the con, each individual paid Hernandez Linares a $2,000 fee.
The U Visa is intended for victims of certain criminal activities in the United States who may seek protection and assistance from law enforcement agencies. However, Hernandez Linares’ actions turned this system into a tool for her own gain, exploiting the vulnerabilities of those who sought refuge.
This case was the fruit of an investigation by the Eden Prairie Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations, which ultimately led to the dismantling of Hernandez Linares’s fraudulent enterprise. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela M. Munoz and Emily A. Polachek were instrumental in bringing the defendant to justice.
Upon completing her sentence, Hernandez Linares will be removed from the United States, ensuring that she can no longer prey on innocent victims seeking refuge in America. The case serves as a stark reminder of the lengths some individuals will go to exploit legal systems for personal gain.
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Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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