Immigration attorney warns of scams after Orange County arrests tied to $20M fraud case
Investigators say Legacy Imigra employees defrauded hundreds of clients, and attorney Ileana Rivera urges people to verify licensing before paying fees.
- On Wednesday, Orange County Sheriff John Mina announced the arrest of four individuals—founder Vagner Soares De Almeida, his wife Juliana Colucci, and associates Ronaldo De Campos and Lucas Trindade Silva—accused of operating Legacy Imigra, which allegedly defrauded hundreds of mostly Brazilian migrants out of roughly $20 million.
- According to authorities, Legacy Imigra posed as a legitimate immigration services firm operating from a boarded-up Orlando office on Kingspointe Parkway, but investigators found no licensed attorneys involved. Suspects allegedly used "manipulation, fraud, lies and extortion" to build the scheme, Mina said.
- Seven cooperating victims reported losses between $2,500 and $26,000 in payments to the firm. Clients faced threats that immigration documents would be withheld unless they paid additional thousands, with one victim stating Legacy Imigra refused a refund and illegally held a work permit pending a $500 payment.
- Three of the four alleged ringleaders remain in the Orange County Jail on immigration detainers; De Campos is booked on a $211,000 bond. Affected migrants now qualify for U-visas, protecting crime victims from deportation while enabling cooperation with law enforcement.
- Homeland Security partners believe this may be the biggest immigration fraud case they have ever seen, Mina said. Immigration attorney Ileana Rivera receives weekly calls from people misled by unlicensed practitioners and advises verifying credentials through The Florida Bar's website, noting scammers often charge $8,000 to $10,000.
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Immigration attorney warns of scams after Orange County arrests tied to $20M fraud case
Hours after multiple arrests tied to an alleged immigration fraud scheme in Orange County, questions remain about how unlicensed individuals posing as attorneys are able to swindle victims and how people can protect themselves.Investigators say employees of the Orange County-based business “Legacy Imigra” are accused of defrauding hundreds of clients out of roughly $20 million. The case highlights what immigration attorneys say is a growing prob…
‘Biggest immigration fraud ever’: Fake Orlando legal service fleeced mostly Brazilian migrants, sheriff says
A months-long investigation into a supposed immigration law firm targeting Portuguese-speaking migrants in Orlando and elsewhere yielded the arrests of four people, Orange County Sheriff John Mina announced Wednesday, with more arrests expected as detectives discover more victims.
Four Brazilians were arrested on Wednesday (April 22, 2026) in Orange County, Florida, on suspicion of running a fraud, extortion, and illegal practice of law against immigrants, most of whom were also from Brazil. The suspects are: Vagner Soares de Almeida, identified as the company's founder, Juliana Colucci, Ronaldo Decampos, and Lucas Filipe Trindade Silva. Speaking to reporters, Sheriff John Mina said the group operated the company Legacy I…
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