A Houston man has pleaded guilty to stealing money from more than 100 people under the false pretense of being able to provide them with legal immigration status as an attorney.
Jesus Carlos Silva, 58, pleaded guilty last week to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, according to federal court documents. Silva was indicted on 10 criminal charges in December 2024, but most of the charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement.
Between March 2022 and December 2024, Silva stole a total of more than $1.4 million from more than 100 victims in the Houston and Chicago areas and also in Louisiana and Florida, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas.
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Silva stole the money by pretending to be a Houston-based immigration attorney offering to help people obtain U.S. citizenship and other forms of legal status. The victims sent Silva money via checks and money orders.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Silva went as far as telling his victims to travel to fake appointments with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Houston. When the victims arrived, they found that no such appointments had been made.
According to the State Bar of Texas, Silva has never been eligible to practice law in the state.
Silva's defense attorney declined to comment Monday.
According to the plea agreement, Silva faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Silva's sentencing is set for Sept. 22. He is out of jail on bond, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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