쿠바 국적자, 밀입국 및 망명 사기 공모로 징역 30개월 선고

Release Date

07/30/2026

TAMPA, Fla. – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services played a critical role in an investigation that resulted in the sentencing of Cuban alien Erik Ventura-Castro, 24, of Hialeah, Florida, to 30 months in prison for his role in an international alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering conspiracy.

“Today’s sentencing is evidence of our all-out war on immigration fraud,” said USCIS Director Joseph Edlow. “USCIS is proud to have worked with our law enforcement partners to dismantle this criminal enterprise, which churned out thousands of fake asylum claims and flooded the country with illegal aliens. As Ventura-Castro and his criminal associates are being brought to justice, we will continue our mission protecting Americans from those who seek to exploit our laws and endanger our communities.”

According to court documents, from January 2021 to June 2025, Ventura-Castro conspired with others to operate an alien smuggling organization that encouraged thousands of Cuban aliens to enter the United States using fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications and visa waivers. The defendants advertised their services on social media platforms to solicit aliens to illegally enter the United States and fraudulently obtain lawful status. The organization’s advertised services included assisting Cubans in making false claims of European citizenship to enter the United States through a European tourist visa waiver or ESTA and filing hundreds of fraudulent ESTA applications with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using fake addresses and fabricated documents.

Ventura-Castro furthered the conspiracy by advertising travel routes for aliens to travel from Cuba to the United States through other countries and by assisting aliens in obtaining fraudulent ESTAs. The defendant submitted more than 40 electronic payments for fraudulent ESTA applications. As part of the conspiracy, aliens were charged between $1,500 and $40,000 for smuggling services. Co-conspirators also chartered private planes to transport groups of aliens. Ventura-Castro transmitted more than $97,000 from the United States to the Cayman Islands, Colombia, and Mexico to purchase flights for aliens to unlawfully enter the United States.

Ventura-Castro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments on May 7.

Twelve individuals were charged in a superseding indictment for their roles in the conspiracy. Defendants Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, Layra Libertad Treto Santos, Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, and Walbis Pozo-Dutel, have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Defendants Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra are awaiting trial scheduled to begin on Sept. 21.

The U.S. investigative efforts were led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and USCIS’ Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. Authorities in the Cayman Islands provided valuable assistance. Trial Attorney Amanda Brown of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

To report suspected immigration benefit fraud or abuse to USCIS, please use the USCIS Tip Form.

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07/30/2026