A Bronx lawyer pleads guilty to a massive immigration fraud scheme, exploiting domestic violence laws for personal gain.
At a Glance
- Kofi Amankwaa, 70, confessed to orchestrating a large-scale immigration fraud scheme
- He falsely claimed clients were domestic abuse victims to exploit the Violence Against Women Act
- Amankwaa charged clients up to $6,000 each, faces 10 years in prison and $16 million in restitution
- The scheme undermines the U.S. immigration system and victimizes vulnerable individuals
Lawyer’s Fraudulent Scheme Exposed
Kofi Amankwaa, a 70-year-old former immigration attorney from the Bronx, has admitted to orchestrating a large-scale immigration fraud scheme that exploited the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). From September 2016 through November 2023, Amankwaa filed thousands of fraudulent immigration documents, falsely alleging that his clients were victims of abuse by their children or other family members.
The disgraced lawyer charged vulnerable asylum seekers between $3,000 and $6,000 each, plus administrative fees, for his fraudulent services. Amankwaa’s scheme involved filing fraudulent Form I-360 VAWA Petitions to request advance parole travel documents for his clients. He then directed these individuals to travel abroad and return to the United States using these documents to apply for lawful permanent resident status.
Bronx attorney charged with large-scale immigration fraud schemehttps://t.co/KJW4mU4bqj
— US Attorney SDNY (@SDNYnews) January 22, 2024
Legal Consequences and Financial Repercussions
Amankwaa’s actions have resulted in severe legal and financial consequences. His law license was suspended in November 2023, and he was subsequently disbarred in August 2024. As part of his plea agreement, Amankwaa has agreed to forfeit $13,389,000 and pay $16,503,425 in restitution. He pleaded guilty to one count of immigration fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
“For years, Kofi Amankwaa oversaw a massive immigration fraud scheme, filing thousands of immigration documents falsely alleging that his clients were victims of abuse by their children or other family members.
Amankwaa’s actions undermined our U.S. immigration system, exploited VAWA — a law that allows noncitizen victims of domestic abuse a path to lawful permanent residence status — and victimized vulnerable clients in the process. Today’s guilty plea highlights this Office’s dedication to holding accountable those who abuse the trust placed in them as attorneys and fraudulently use our immigration system as a tool for their own financial gain.” – U.S. Attorney Damian Williams
The case was investigated by the Newark Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security. It is currently being handled by the General Crimes Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Z. Margulies in charge of the prosecution.
Wider Implications for Immigration System
This case highlights the ongoing vulnerabilities within the U.S. immigration system. It comes at a time when the Biden-Harris administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently restarted a previously paused immigration program due to fraud concerns.
An internal DHS report found that another program, the CHNV parole program, was overrun with fraud, with sponsors listing fake Social Security numbers, home addresses, or phone numbers.
“Kofi Amankwaa’s victimization of clients during their immigration process is a serious violation of trust and our nation’s laws,” said HSI Newark acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “Thanks to our partnership with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the support of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, justice was served in this case. HSI will remain committed to protecting victims of fraud and abuse.”
The exposure of Amankwaa’s fraudulent scheme serves as a stark reminder of the need for stricter oversight and enforcement within the immigration system. It also underscores the importance of thoroughly vetting immigration programs to prevent exploitation by unscrupulous individuals seeking to profit from vulnerable immigrants.
