Thread: UT-Suit accuses woman of immigration scam

Suit accuses woman of immigration scam
Legal assistant allegedly posed as an lawyer.
By Pamela Manson



Updated: 07/06/2009 06:41:16 PM MDT


The Utah State Bar has filed a lawsuit against a legal assistant who allegedly posed as a lawyer while taking money from undocumented workers who were seeking to become legal residents of the United States.

Leticia Avila, who worked for a Sandy law firm, used her religious connections and purported contacts with immigration authorities to convince undocumented people to pay $4,000 retainers to obtain approval of visa and citizenship applications that never came through, according to the Utah State Bar.

The lawsuit, filed last week in 3rd District Court, requests an order barring Avila from practicing law and requiring her to pay restitution to the victims.

At least 17 people who claim they were defrauded by Avila face deportation, some as soon as next week. Many say they knew the Davis County woman as a fellow member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In addition to losing money, the victims also lost their opportunity to present legitimate legal arguments on their right to stay in the United States, the suit says.

Avila, of Clinton, could not be reached for comment Monday.

Jordan Cameron, an attorney representing the victims, said they are looking into filing their own civil lawsuit against Avila.

"It's sad that people take advantage of immigrants," he said. "They are seen as an easy target."

According to the State Bar suit, the fraud began in 2005 and continued through last month.

During part of that time, Avila worked for the Ayres Law Firm as a legal assistant, the suit says.

In addition to charging foreign nationals for help legalizing their status, she sometimes sold them life insurance as a supposed way to establish financial responsibility, the suit alleges.

When potential clients called the Ayres law firm and asked for the immigration attorney, they allegedly were referred to Avila.

Attorney Tyler Ayres said Monday that while Avila talked to clients she did not pose as a lawyer. Ayres said he let Avila go three weeks ago because her expertise is in immigration and his firm decided to concentrate on DUI cases.

"She was a good employee," he said.

Immigrants who gave sworn statements in the case have said they were offered work visas so they could stay in the United States to testify in criminal proceedings against Avila. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents told them they now are being deported because the criminal case fell apart.

Because the unauthorized practice of law is a civil violation, the immigrants are not required to testify in person. Instead, authorities are taking videotaped depositions to be shown at a trial.

Aaron Tarin, another attorney for the immigrants, described Avila as a scam artist.

"Taking advantage of unsuspecting immigrants will not be tolerated," he said.

pmanson@sltrib.com


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LOL...An undocumented lawyer defrauding undocumented immigrants. HOW RICH!