As reported in the New York Times recently, a Bronx-based attorney named Kofi Amankwaa, aged 69, and his son, Kofi Amankwaa Jr., aged 37, were apprehended and charged with orchestrating a seven-year immigration scam that defrauded hundreds of immigrants, resulting in some being deported, as revealed by federal prosecutors.
The scheme involved advising clients seeking green cards to submit petitions under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a tactic to help undocumented immigrants who have suffered abuse attain lawful permanent residence in the United States. Prosecutors allege that the Amankwaas instructed their clients to falsely claim abuse by their American citizen children. These fabricated claims of abuse were then used as grounds to request permission for clients to travel abroad, which, when granted, facilitated their green card applications. These startling details were unveiled in a complaint filed by Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, who brought forth the charges.
According to the U.S. attorney, the Amankwaas either knew their clients had not been victims of abuse or failed to inquire about it. Consequently, many of the applications for legal residency were found to be fraudulent and subsequently denied, resulting in the deportation of some clients. The Amankwaas charged fees as high as $6,000, in addition to administrative charges, for their services.
Each of the accused individuals now faces one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, and one count of immigration fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of ten years. Both individuals pleaded not guilty and remained silent during their arraignment on Monday, attended by at least two other family members. Lauren Di Chiara, a lawyer representing the elder Mr. Amankwaa, declined to comment.
Mr. Williams underscored that the Amankwaas sought to undermine the U.S. immigration system through their actions, and this investigation was conducted in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security.
In addition to the criminal charges, New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against the Amankwaas and three other members of their practice: Sylvester Boateng, Nana Adoma Kontoh, and Betty Smith, all implicated in the immigration fraud. Ms. Kontoh, as per the lawsuit, falsely claimed to be a lawyer.
Attorney General James seeks full restitution and unspecified damages to be awarded to affected clients, in addition to civil penalties.
This case is the latest in a series of fraud schemes targeting individuals seeking lawful citizenship in New York, as previously reported by The New York Times. On January 11, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg pressed charges against Pablo Israel Ortega Cuenca for impersonating an immigration lawyer and collecting substantial legal fees.
Notably, Mr. Amankwaa had held a license to practice law in New York since 1996, but his license was suspended in November following multiple complaints filed with the state Attorney Grievance Committee, which handles reports of lawyer misconduct. These complaints, filed between October 2022 and May 2023, came from clients or their family members, as per committee records. The younger Mr. Amankwaa provided legal advice to clients despite not being licensed to practice law in New York, prosecutors allege.
One of Mr. Amankwaa’s clients, Ricardo Velazquez, a father of four residing in the Bronx, had been in the United States for over two decades. Mr. Amankwaa submitted documents claiming that Mr. Velazquez had suffered abuse at the hands of his son and advised him to leave the country and re-enter to continue his green card application. Upon attempting to return from Mexico, Mr. Velazquez was detained and ultimately deported.
Stephen Yale-Loehr, a professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School, noted that the use of the Violence Against Women Act in immigration fraud was uncommon but difficult to detect since victims often fail to recognize or report such scams. He advised individuals to exercise caution and skepticism when faced with promises of guaranteed immigration benefits, as they often signal fraudulent activity.
Catalina Cruz, a state assemblywoman who was once undocumented, condemned the Amankwaas’ actions as “unethical and unconscionable.” She asserted that these families had sought the American dream and entrusted Mr. Amankwaa as their lawyer, only to endure separation from their loved ones due to his actions.
