DENVER (KDVR) — A woman who ran two fraudulent businesses that illegally advertised and provided unlicensed legal services for people navigating the U.S. immigration system will shut down operations and pay fines under a settlement, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced Friday.
The woman operated the organizations, U.S. Immigration Services and Colorado Global Schools, out of Weld County since at least 2022, according to the complaint filed in the Weld County District Court.
Weiser said she claimed to have expertise, a law degree from Harvard University and offered legal advice and prepared immigration documents for people when she did not have a law degree and was not licensed or qualified to provide those services.
She also referred to herself as “Dr. Gonzales” despite not having proper credentials, and claimed that she received an honorary doctorate from an institution in Haiti, according to Weiser’s office.
Customers were told that an attorney and legal consultant named Ms. Shequioa Daniels was on staff to help, but that person did not exist, Weiser said.
“At a time when many immigrants and their families live in fear of deportation, the defendant in this case charged outrageous fees for poor quality work she was neither qualified nor licensed to perform,” said Weiser in his office’s release. “Those looking for help navigating the immigration system should be able to turn to qualified professionals. As the action in this case makes plain, only an immigration attorney or a representative working for an authorized organization can give legal advice. Those who mislead immigrants will be held accountable.”
The complaint said that she charged higher fees than what legitimate attorneys would charge for the services. Those fees included $17,300 for an unlawful provisional waiver and a rate of $130 per hour for immigration assistance services.
Weiser said that multiple customers had to hire legitimate immigration attorneys to correct errors in their immigration paperwork after paying for her services.
The woman agreed on a settlement with the Attorney General’s office on Thursday. Under the agreement, she will be barred from using the doctoral title and from performing, advertising or operating any business that offers immigration services. She will also pay a $12,000 fine, which will increase to $50,000 if she does not comply with the agreement.
The Attorney General’s Office said that immigration scams are on the rise in Colorado and nationwide, especially those involving “notarios,” or public notaries, which have greater legal authority in Latin America than they do in the U.S.
People can learn how to spot immigration scams, find resources to help navigate the legal system and file complaints about any scam or fraud at StopFraudColorado.gov and in Spanish at NoMasFraudeColorado.gov.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
