For immigrants with pending cases in immigration court, the CM Bufete De Abogados Consultoria Migratoria (CM Bufete) must have seemed to be a ray of hope in dark times. The firm’s lawyers helped them with their immigration proceedings, ensured they filed the necessary paperwork (including items they hadn’t been aware existed), and represented them in videoconference court appearances with immigration judges to prevent deportation. At a time when the U.S. government is arresting tens of thousands of people on immigration charges each month, having a law firm fighting for them must have seemed like a blessing.
Unfortunately, it was all a lie. Everything associated with CM Bufete was fake, part of a scam. Five members of the alleged scheme were charged on February 20, 2026, after being indicted by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of New York on charges including wire fraud and false impersonation of an officer or employee of the United States.
Three of the accused, who are siblings, were taken into custody as they boarded a plane to Colombia at Newark Liberty International Airport with one-way tickets. The fourth was arrested at a restaurant in New Jersey, with the final coconspirator still at large in Colombia. Their capture is likely little solace to their victims, some of whom missed their actual court dates to attend sham immigration proceedings perpetrated by the defendants.
Amid heightened immigration enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), scams targeting immigrants with false representation and sham court proceedings are on the rise. These include scammers posing as government officials or immigration lawyers from the American Bar Association (ABA).
The Family That Scams Together Goes on the Lam Together
For two years, CM Bufete offered those with pending immigration cases what must have seemed like service that was too good to be true. Their attorneys would shepherd them through responding to official-looking documents bearing Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security insignia, represent them in asylum interviews, and stand beside them during videoconference federal court appearances. The fact that everything was conducted in Spanish rather than English was just the cherry on top.
It turned out to be too good to be true. CM Bufete wasn’t an actual law firm, none of the people pretending to be attorneys had a license to practice law, and as for the judges, federal agents, and law enforcement the victims encountered? All fake. After soliciting clients on social media, the accused scammers (Daniela Alejandra Sanchez Ramirez, Jhoan Sebastian Sanchez Ramirez, Alexandra Patricia Sanchez Ramirez, Marlyn Yulitza Salazar Pineda, and an unnamed coconspirator) would conduct fraudulent transactions by charging their victims for nonexistent legal services and advice. They impersonated government agency officials and immigration judges, which included wearing robes and conducting virtual court hearings.
It’s estimated that the CM Bufete crew scammed over $100,000 from their victims, preying on their fears, language deficiencies, and unfamiliarity with the jurisdiction. Mistakes made by CM Bufete that often went unnoticed included using Spanish (all immigration proceedings are conducted in English) and using a seal of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals (immigration courts are administered by the DOJ, which is an executive agency).
Probably Too Late To Learn How To Impersonate Correctional Officers
Federal prosecutors in the District Court of Brooklyn have charged the Colombian defendants with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and two counts of false impersonation of an officer or employee of the United States. They each face up to 20 years in prison for their roles in bilking immigrants and pretending to be lawyers, judges, and immigration agents.
In at least one instance, their criminal enterprise caused a victim to miss their actual appearance in immigration court, resulting in an order for deportation. Once the court was informed of the reason for their absence, the order was reversed.
Related Resources
- SCOTUS Considers the Limits of ICE Enforcement (FindLaw’s Federal Courts)
- What You Need To Know About Online Scamming and the Law (FindLaw’s Criminal Charges)
- New York Man Poses as a Lawyer and Steals $290,000 from “Clients” (FindLaw’s Law and Daily Life)
