{"id":49284,"date":"2022-04-01T16:40:32","date_gmt":"2022-04-01T23:40:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=49284"},"modified":"2022-04-01T16:40:32","modified_gmt":"2022-04-01T23:40:32","slug":"l-a-paralegal-fraudulently-obtained-legal-u-s-residency-for-philippines-based-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=49284","title":{"rendered":"L.A. Paralegal Fraudulently Obtained Legal U.S. Residency for Philippines-Based Church"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0LOS ANGELES\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A Los Angeles paralegal has agreed to plead guilty to participating in a conspiracy to violate U.S. immigration laws, officials announced Friday.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
USA Visa document<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maria De Leon prepared and filed fraudulent documents that sought legal permanent residency and citizenship for members of a Philippines-based church who allegedly worked as fundraisers for a bogus charity operated by the church, the Justice Department announced today.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In a plea agreement filed Friday in U.S. District Court, Leon, 73, a resident of the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles and the owner of Liberty Legal Document Services, agreed to plead guilty.<\/span><\/p>\n

She participated in a scheme with administrators of the church, which is known as the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (KOJC).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"\u00a0 In addition to pleading guilty, De Leon agreed to cooperate in the government\u2019s case.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 De Leon admitted in the plea agreement to participating for about eight years in the conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and visa fraud with the leaders of the KOJC.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAt the time [De Leon] completed the immigration paperwork for certain KOJC members, [she] knew that the immigration paperwork was based upon false representations of the bona fides of the underlying marriages\u201d made by church officials, according to the plea agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 De Leon admitted to submitting fraudulent \u201cPetitions for Alien Relative\u201d and related paperwork on behalf of KOJC members knowing or believing that the marriages were arranged for purposes of securing favorable immigration status for a spouse.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 De Leon is one of nine defendants who were charged in November 2021 in a 42-count\u00a0superseding indictment<\/a> that alleges a labor trafficking scheme that used fraudulently obtained visas to bring KOJC members to the United States. IN THE , where they were forced to solicit donations for a bogus charity \u2013 the Glendale-based Children\u2019s Joy Foundation (CJF). The indictment alleges that the donations were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders.<\/span><\/p>\n

Members who proved successful at soliciting for the KOJC were forced to enter into sham marriages or obtain fraudulent student visas to acquire legal status in the United States so they could continue soliciting donations, the indictment alleges. <\/span><\/p>\n

Many of the workers were moved around the United States to solicit donations as CJF \u201cvolunteers,\u201d who were also called Full Time Miracle Workers, according to the indictment, which alleges these \u201cworkers fundraised for KOJC nearly every day, year-round, working very long hours, and often sleeping in cars overnight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The superseding indictment also alleges a sex trafficking scheme that implicates KOJC\u2019s leader, Apollo Carreon Quiboloy, who was referred to as \u201cThe Appointed Son of God.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

De Leon is one of six defendants previously arrested in this case. <\/span><\/p>\n

The remaining five defendants who have appeared in federal court in Los Angeles are currently scheduled to be tried on March 21, 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three of the defendants, including Quiboloy, are fugitives believed to be in the Philippines.<\/span><\/p>\n

The court is expected to soon schedule a hearing for De Leon to formally enter her guilty plea to the conspiracy count. <\/span><\/p>\n

Once she pleads guilty, De Leon will face up to five years in federal prison<\/span>.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

As part of the investigation, the FBI is encouraging potential victims or anyone with information about KOJC activities to contact investigators. <\/span><\/p>\n

Those with information are asked to call the FBI\u2019s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565. Individuals may also contact the FBI through its website at\u00a0https:\/\/www.fbi.gov\/tips<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0LOS ANGELES\u00a0 A Los Angeles paralegal has agreed to plead guilty to participating in a conspiracy to violate U.S. immigration laws, officials announced Friday. Maria De Leon prepared and filed fraudulent documents…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35912,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3255],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-federal-court"],"yoast_head":"\nL.A. 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