Cuban National Pleads Guilty to Alien Smuggling, Asylum Fraud, and Money Laundering Conspiracy

A Cuban national has pleaded guilty to conspiring to smuggle aliens into the United States, commit asylum fraud, and launder money.

According to court documents, Yuniel Lima-Santos, 31, of Tampa, Florida, conspired with others to operate an alien smuggling organization that encouraged thousands of Cuban aliens to enter the United States using fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications and visa waivers.

The organization advertised its services across multiple social media platforms to solicit Cuban nationals and other aliens to attempt to illegally enter the United States and fraudulently obtain lawful status in the United States.

## Smuggling Services and Charges

The organization's advertised services included assisting Cubans in making false claims of European citizenship to enter the United States through a European tourist visa waiver or ESTA. They also filed hundreds of fraudulent ESTA applications with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using fake addresses and fabricated documents.

As part of the conspiracy, aliens were charged between $1,500 and $40,000 for smuggling services. Co-conspirators also chartered private planes to transport groups of aliens.

| Service | Charge | | --- | --- | | Smuggling services | $1,500 - $40,000 | | Chartering private planes | |

## Money Laundering and Sentencing

Lima-Santos furthered the conspiracy by helping move aliens from their countries of origin, including Cuba, into the United States. This included purchasing international and domestic flights to transport aliens into and throughout the United States.

As part of the conspiracy's money laundering crimes, Lima-Santos filed articles of incorporation in Florida for a shell company. The company had no employees, payroll, or reported income but was used to move proceeds from the smuggling scheme and conceal the true source and nature of the ill-gotten funds.

Between 2021 and 2024, Lima-Santos transmitted more than $600,000 from the United States to other countries to purchase flights for aliens to unlawfully enter the United States.

Lima-Santos faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

## Co-Conspirators and Prosecution

Twelve individuals were charged in a superseding indictment for their roles in the conspiracy. Six of them have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Two individuals are awaiting trial scheduled to begin on September 21.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno for Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Director Joseph Edlow of USCIS made the announcement.

HSI Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and USCIS' Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI's Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and CBP's National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. Authorities in the Cayman Islands provided valuable assistance.

Trial Attorney Amanda Brown of the Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.