AG's office accuses Jerome woman of swindling immigrants
By Andrea Jackson -
Posted: Sunday, January 24, 2010 1:00 am


JEROME — She promised immigrants better lives for their families, preyed on their vulnerabilities and ultimately bilked them out of thousands of dollars.

At least that’s the picture painted by a civil complaint filed by the Consumer Protection Division of the Idaho Attorney General’s Office against Celia Perez and her Jerome-based company, Perez International. Perez, a former Idaho notary public, is accused of posing as a lawyer and deceiving illegal immigrants in the Magic Valley, swiping them of their money and dreams of citizenship.

Selling services advertised as immigration and naturalization consultation, Perez allegedly committed “unconscionable conduct,â€