Belizean Woman Found Guilty of Naturalization Fraud in Florida
Published Apr 20, 2026
A federal jury in Orlando, Florida found Ana Zahia Gonzalez, 46, a Belizean national, guilty of naturalization fraud. USCIS assisted in the investigation, which was led by Homeland Security Investigations, and Gonzalez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and denaturalization.
Key points
- Gonzalez entered the United States on a visitor visa in 2006 and overstayed her authorized stay.
- In 2011 she married a U.S. citizen who was unaware she was still legally married to a man in Belize.
- In 2016 she applied for naturalization and falsely claimed her prior Belizean marriage had been legally dissolved.
- Trial evidence showed she submitted a fraudulent Belizean divorce decree as part of her naturalization application.
- Sentencing is scheduled for July 13, with a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and denaturalization.
- The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with USCIS assistance and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca S. Bansal and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Flanigan.
Who is affected
Individuals who submit false information about marital status or identity in naturalization applications, and the agencies that investigate immigration fraud.
What to do
Suspected immigration benefit fraud or abuse can be reported to USCIS using the USCIS Tip Form.
Full text
The complete official text was archived on this site on 2026-10-13. It stays available here even if the source link changes or is removed.
Release Date
04/20/2026
Orlando, Fla. – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services played a key role in the investigation that led to a federal jury finding Ana Zahia Gonzalez, 46, guilty of naturalization fraud. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced that Gonzalez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and denaturalization. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 13. Gonzalez was indicted on Nov. 19, 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Gonzalez knowingly submitted a fraudulent divorce decree from Belize as part of her naturalization application. Gonzalez entered the United States on a visitor visa in 2006 and overstayed her authorized visit. Five years later, she married a U.S. citizen, who was unaware that she was still lawfully married to a Belizean man. In 2016, Gonzalez applied for naturalization and falsely claimed that her previous marriage in Belize had been legally dissolved before she remarried.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of USCIS. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca S. Bansal and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Flanigan.
To report suspected immigration benefit fraud or abuse to USCIS, please use the USCIS Tip Form.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on X, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.
04/20/2026
Original title: Belizean Woman Found Guilty of Naturalization Fraud
Read the official source ↗ Archived copy (if the original is removed)
Ask how this affects your case
Read the official source ↗ Archived copy (if the original is removed)
This summary was produced with AI from the official announcement. Only the official source is authoritative.