Four Countries Related, Visa Fraud, Money Laundering — 19 Arrested in Four Countries Related to Visa Fraud, Racketeering, Money Laundering and Related Charges | United States Justice Department.
announcement 19 Arrested in Four Countries Related to Visa Fraud, Racketeering, Money Laundering and Related Charges Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Share Facebook X LinkedIn Email For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs 19 individuals were arrested today in the United States, Colombia, Ecuador, and El Salvador in connection with racketeering, money laundering and visa fraud charges. Five of the arrestees have been charged in a U.S. defendants face charges of racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to defraud the United States by impersonating U.S. One indicted defendant in Colombia remains at large.Other
individuals arrested in this international law enforcement operation were arrested in Ecuador and El Salvador and will likely face separate charges in those countries.“These defendants have been charged with masquerading as United States officials in order to fraudulently enrich themselves at the expense of victims seeking to lawfully travel to the United States,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. indictment for participation in a four-year transnational visa fraud, racketeering, and money-laundering scheme that defrauded thousands of Central and South American nationals seeking to work lawfully in the United States. DSS is
proud to have supported this coordinated effort, which has resulted in arrests across four countries and the disruption of a transnational visa and financial fraud scheme affecting victims throughout Latin and South America.”“HSI and our federal partners have successfully dismantled a sophisticated international multi-million-dollar immigration fraud scheme that not only spanned multiple countries, but also preyed on thousands of migrants seeking to enter the United States the right way,” said Assistant Director for International Operations Ricardo Mayoral of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Agency for International Development Office of Investigations Office of Inspector