Former Immigration Attorney Sentenced to 70 Months for Massive Fraud Scheme

NEW YORK, USA — A former immigration attorney has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for orchestrating a large-scale immigration fraud scheme that exploited Caribbean and other immigrants seeking legal status in the United States.

Kofi Amankwaa, 70, was handed a 70-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to immigration fraud charges in connection with a years-long scheme involving fraudulent applications under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

The ruling was delivered by US District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, following a guilty plea from Amankwaa, who once operated as an immigration lawyer in New York.

Fraudulent Abuse Claims

Acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew Podolsky, described Amankwaa’s actions as a blatant abuse of the immigration system.

“Amankwaa made a mockery of the US immigration system and VAWA — a law designed to protect noncitizen victims of domestic abuse — by filing thousands of fraudulent applications falsely claiming that his clients had been abused by their children or family members,” Podolsky stated.

Court records reveal that, from September 2016 to November 2023, Amankwaa instructed clients to sign fraudulent Form I-360 VAWA petitions, falsely claiming they had suffered abuse by their US citizen children. He then signed the documents as their attorney, under penalty of perjury, without informing many of his clients of the fraudulent claims.

Misusing Immigration Benefits

Amankwaa used these fraudulent petitions as a basis to secure advance parole travel documents for his clients, which allowed them to temporarily leave the US and return, helping them later apply for lawful permanent resident status.

The prosecution argued that Amankwaa carried out this scheme without verifying if his clients had actually been abused, often leaving them vulnerable when their applications were denied due to fraud concerns.

Millions Pocketed in Fees

Charging between US$3,000 and US$6,000 per client, plus additional administrative fees, Amankwaa allegedly made millions from the scheme. However, complaints from clients led to his downfall.

In November 2023, his law license was suspended, and by August 2024, he was officially disbarred in New York.

Sentencing and Financial Penalties

In addition to his prison sentence, Amankwaa was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. He must also forfeit US$13.3 million and pay US$16.5 million in restitution to his victims.

Authorities say the case serves as a warning to those who seek to exploit the immigration system and take advantage of vulnerable individuals.