Thread: 4 Arrested In 'Citizenship For Sale' Immigration Scheme

4 Arrested In 'Citizenship For Sale' Immigration Scheme
Illegal Immigrants Sold Citizenship Into American Indian Tribes, Officials Say

POSTED: 6:01 pm EDT August 29, 2008
UPDATED: 6:38 pm EDT August 29, 2008


TAMARAC, Fla. -- The U.S. Department of Justice charged and arrested four people in connection with the sale of fraudulent Native American Indian documents to illegal immigrants. Officials said early Friday morning they arrested Audie Watson, 75, Nancy Vertus, 40, Anibal Reyes, 38, and his wife Laura Reyes, 38 with conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, including s mail fraud and the sale of fraudulent immigration document. Police said the group were part of a scheme to sell fraudulent documents through Universal Service Dedicated to God, Inc., a company located in Tamarac, Fla.

Officials said illegal immigrants are being sold citizenship into the obscure American Indian tribe -- falsely told it would allow them to legally work and live in the U.S.

An NBC 6 investigation in 2006 exposed Watson's busy nationwide operation, selling to hundreds of illegal immigrants. Officials said since August 2005 the group conspired to charge aliens who were not eligible for United States citizenship, $1,500 per immigrant $2,000 per couple, to make the immigrants members of the Pembina Nation Little Shell Tribe.

Officials said the fees were collected and documents were issued to allow the immigrants to reside and work in the United States so that they would avoid being deported.

The federal government said anyone who buys such identification was ripped off.

Federal agents said Anibal and Laura Reyes were arraigned and released on bond. But Watson and Vertus are scheduled for detention hearings and arraignment on Wednesday.

If convicted, the men and women charged could face maximum penalties of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the conspiracy to commit mail and immigration fraud charge; and up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for the mail fraud charge; and up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the false immigration document charge, officials said.


http://www.nbc6.net/news/17339317/detail.html

New business adventure? That un-tapped sector of the population.

Just Googled Pembina and found the following story:

Indianz.Com. In Print.
URL: http://www.indianz.com/News/2005/011171.asp


Man in dispute with county linked to Pembina tribe
Tuesday, November 8, 2005

A Florida man who is in a conflict with officials in Charlotte County is part of a Chippewa group that has had a series of run-ins with the law.

Robert Sumner is part of the Little Shell Pembina Band of North America. The group is not recognized and is not related to the Little Shell Chippewa Tribe, whose legitimacy has been embraced by other tribes and the state of Montana.

Nevertheless, Sumner once claimed his property as sovereign land and said county officials had no jurisdiction over it. He has since said his comments were misunderstood.

The Pembina band has been threatened with contempt of court and has been called an "extremist" group by Anti-Defamation League.

Get the Story:
Man who made alleged threat claims misunderstanding (The Charlotte Sun-Herald 11/

Relevant Links:
Little Shell Pembina Band - http://www.littleshellpembinaband.com

Related Stories:
Man claims Indian heritage blocks county action (11/3)
Judge threatens Chippewa group with contempt (05/20)

Copyright © 2000-2005 Indianz.Com
http://www.indianz.com/News/2005/011171.asp

ABC7 Exclusive: Business lets illegals buy citizenship

http://www.abc-7.com/Articles/readnews. ... 9556&z=2&p

Originally posted by Katie LaGrone on: Thursday, November 02, 2006
Last updated on: 11/3/2006 10:21:10 AM

TAMARAC, FL: In an unassuming strip plaza in the city of Tamarac, the quest for freedom attracts a global response.

Over the past year and half, the ABC7 Whistleblower has learned, thousands of illegal immigrants have congregated on the doorstep of the business seeking legal status.

And the people inside claim to sell it.

For upwards of $1,500 to $2,000 a couple, illegal immigrants buy documents, ID cards and even driver's licenses that supposedly make them lineal descendents of an Indian tribe known as the Little Shell Pembina Band.

The notarized documents, obtained by ABC7, are signed by a chief and grant all tribal members the right not to pay taxes, freely hunt wherever they want, and exempt them from military service.

"It was a dream of my husband for us to be here and have his children here so they could have a better education in life," said one woman.

The woman, who asked us not to reveal her identity, bought the documents and says hundreds of illegals in Southwest Florida have done the same believing they could travel freely between the U.S. and Mexico.

"I'm confused. There's people who tell me they've gone to Mexico and come back, yet on the radio they tell you it's just a big fraud," said one man.

When we went to the business with a camera, we were told by a woman at the office, "I have nothing to say. Delete my picture. Delete my picture, sir, I'll call the cops right now!"

It was a different story for our undercover ABC7 employee, Mireidy Fernandez.

"The people who worked looked totally comfortable, come on in, sign up, we're glad you're here," said Fernandez.

Armed with a hidden camera, Fernandez asks for more information and is sent to a back office – the office of Dr. Audie Watson, Jr. - the man in charge.

"He sounded so legitimate, he sounded so comfortable, so sure of himself," said Fernandez.

ABC7 has learned Watson hasn't always been so legitimate. Last year he was arrested after a statewide investigation. He was charged with stealing people's money in a pyramid scheme four years ago.

Watson pled no contest. He's on probation for the next two years.

We caught up with Watson while he was walking out the back door of his office.

Katie LaGrone: Are you running a scam here?
Watson: No we're perfectly legal, we're legitimate. We have the right to nationalize anyone we want.

Not according to the Little Shell Pembina Band. Back in May, Watson was suspended from the tribe for doing what he appears to be doing now, selling membership to foreigners.

LaGrone: You're giving these papers to people who aren't supposed to be here legally, to illegal immigrants
Watson: Who says? They're here aren't they?
LaGrone: But they're here illegally.
Watson: Where does it say illegal, by whose standards? Your standards?

"When he claims to extend, to say they're here and have some legal status, that's when it becomes a con game," said immigration attorney Anthony Olson.

According to Olsen, there are several legal issues with Audie Watson's tribal pitch.

First, tribal rights are only granted to members of a federally recognized tribe, which the Little Shell Pembina is not.

Second, tribal members must be born with at least 50 percent Indian blood. Our illegals are not.

"You're either born with it, or you don't have it," said Olson.

The question that has yet to be answered is whether or not this poses a threat to homeland security. We spoke with former Southwest Florida Domestic Security Task Force chairman, Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter - and we'll tell you what he said Friday on ABC7 News at 6:00.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resources:

Little Shell Pembina Band official website: http://littleshellpembinaband.us/

More about the Little Shell Pembina Band from the Anti-Defamation League: http://www.adl.org/learn/ext_us/Little_ ... ttle_shell

Manataka American Indian Council on the Little Shell Pembina Band: http://www.manataka.org/page688.html

Buying freedom a risk to homeland security

http://www.abc-7.com/Articles/readnews. ... 9586&z=2&p

Originally posted by Katie LaGrone on: Friday, November 03, 2006
Last updated on: 11/3/2006 7:36:11 PM

COLLIER COUNTY: Hundreds of illegal immigrants on the gulfshore are spending thousands of dollars to buy documents that claim to give them more rights than most people, like to not pay taxes and to be exempt from military service. The documents say the illegal immigrants are descendants of an Indian tribe known as the Little Shell Pembina Band.

ABC7 discovered the man behind the operation here isn't so legitimate. Audie Watson Jr has a history of stealing people's money and was kicked out of the tribe last May.

That hasn't stopped him from selling bogus memberships into the tribe.

Katie LaGrone: You're giving these papers to people who aren't supposed to be here legally, to illegal immigrants.
Watson: Who says? They're here aren't they?

They're here, but not legally. That's what has authorities now taking notice. They call Watson's business a fraud.

But beyond cheating people out of money, local authorities have much bigger concerns about the business of buying freedom. Concern the documents will get into the wrong hands.

"They mean nothing to us as far as us official status," said Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter, former head of the Southwest Florida Domestic Security Task Force.

He's concerned about people using the tribal documents to get legitimate ones.

"It's a domestic security threat if you acquire a drivers license from the state of Florida using these documents and use that to board cruise ships, use that to board commercial airliners, use that to get into presidential visits and you cannot be scrutinized there's clearly a domestic security threat," said Hunter.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement agrees.

"It's giving them false identification, false representation to who they actually are," said Steve Emerson of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

We showed the documents to the local FDLE office.

"Who's to say that someone who stops them knows that its not good documentation or good identification," said Emerson.

ABC7 confirms US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is investigating the group and the Florida Attorney General's office discourages anyone from buying the documents.

I.C.E. News Release

August 29, 2008

Four individuals arrested on charges in connection with the sale of fraudulent Native American Indian documents to illegal aliens
Suspects face up to 20 years in prison

FT.LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Four Florida residents were arrested earlier today and charged in a multi-count indictment with conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and substantive charges related to mail fraud and the sale of fraudulent immigration documents following a joint law enforcement investigation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the State of Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT), and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.

Early this morning, federal agents arrested Audie Watson, 75, of Tamarac, Florida, Nancy Vertus, 40, of Lake Worth, Florida, and Anibal Reyes and his wife, Laura Reyes, both 38 and of Port St. Lucie, Florida. According to the Indictment, these individuals were allegedly part of a scheme to sell fraudulent documentation through a company named Universal Services Dedicated to God, Inc., which was located in Tamarac, Florida.

From August 2005 to the present, the defendants conspired to unlawfully enrich themselves through charging aliens who were not eligible for United States citizenship, a fee of $1,500 per alien or $2,000 per couple to make the aliens members of the Pembina Nation Little Shell Tribe. These fees were collected and documents issued for the fraudulent purpose of enabling the aliens to claim to be members of the Pembina Nation Little Shell Tribe. This would allow the aliens to reside and work in the United States to avoid removal from the country.

"U.S. citizenship is not something that can be bought or sold," said Anthony Mangione, special agent in charge of the ICE office of investigations." "We will continue to go after these individuals that are jeopardizing our national security and investigate those that are seeking to obtain legal status fraudulently. I want to thank the FBI, ABT and the U.S. Attorney's Office for working with us to bring this case to justice following a two year investigation."

Following their arrests, the defendants made their initial appearances before United States Magistrate Judge Barry S. Seltzer in Ft. Lauderdale. Defendants Anibal and Laura Reyes were arraigned and released on bond. Defendants Watson and Vertus are scheduled for detention hearings and arraignment on Wednesday, September 3, 2008.

If convicted, the defendants face maximum penalties of up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the conspiracy to commit mail and immigration fraud charge; and up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for the mail fraud charge; and up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the false immigration document charge.

U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, ICE, ABT, BSO, USPS, U.S. Social Security, USSS, ATF, MDPD, City of Miami Police Department, and FDLE. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Keene and Jeffrey Kay of the Ft. Lauderdale office of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.
-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

Last Modified: Tuesday, September 2,
2008 U.S. Department of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0809/080902washington.htm

Here is the link to the above story

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0808/080829ftlauderdale.htm