By: Hal C Clarke

Four Colombian nationals — three of them siblings — were arrested in New Jersey after prosecutors alleged they posed as immigration judges and federal officials in an elaborate scheme targeting vulnerable migrants, Fox News reported.

According to Fox News, siblings Daniela Alejandra Sanchez Ramirez, 25, Jhoan Sebastian Sanchez Ramirez, 29, and Alexandra Patricia Sanchez Ramirez, 38, were taken into custody at Newark Liberty International Airport while allegedly attempting to leave the country on one-way tickets to Colombia. A fourth defendant, Marlyn Yulitza Salazar Pineda, 24, was arrested at a restaurant in New Jersey.

Prosecutors said a fifth individual named in a partially unsealed indictment remains outside U.S. custody, Fox News reported.

Federal authorities allege the group carried out a calculated fraud scheme in which they impersonated judges, immigration officials, law enforcement officers and attorneys. According to Fox News, the defendants orchestrated fake immigration proceedings conducted over videoconference, sending victims fabricated legal documents to make the sham hearings appear legitimate.

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York said the defendants “brazenly stole their victims’ money and deceived them by sending fictitious documents and holding sham court proceedings,” Fox News reported.

Court filings cited by Fox News include screenshots from two of the alleged virtual “proceedings,” with participants’ faces obscured. Prosecutors say victims were led to believe their immigration matters had been resolved through these fake hearings.

As a result, some migrants allegedly skipped their real immigration court dates, thinking their cases were settled. Fox News reported that at least one victim was ordered deported after missing a legitimate court appearance because she believed the fraudulent process had resolved her status. Prosecutors said that deportation order was later reversed.

Authorities allege the group also funneled money to associates in Colombia, laundering tens of thousands of dollars obtained from victims. According to Fox News, investigators have identified more than $100,000 in fraudulent transactions tied to the operation.

Prosecutors claim the defendants ran a fictitious law firm and recruited clients primarily through Facebook. Victims were charged fees ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars for what authorities describe as nonexistent legal services, Fox News reported.

All five defendants have been charged with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and two counts of false impersonation of a U.S. officer or employee.

Immigration status details were also disclosed in the case. Fox News reported that Daniela Sanchez Ramirez, Jhoan Sanchez Ramirez, and Marlyn Salazar Pineda are in the United States as immigration parolees, while Alexandra Sanchez Ramirez is in the country on a tourist visa.

The arrests at Newark Airport came as the three siblings allegedly attempted to depart the United States, raising concerns among prosecutors about potential flight risk. The fourth defendant was apprehended separately within New Jersey.

Federal authorities have not released additional details about the fifth individual who remains outside U.S. custody.

The case underscores the risks faced by migrants navigating the complex U.S. immigration system, where fraudulent actors can exploit confusion and fear for financial gain.