Fake ICE agent indicted for offering green cards to undocumented immigrants
A San Ysidro man is accused of scamming undocumented immigrants out of tens of thousands of dollars by offering them green cards, even citizenship, while posing as an ICE Agent.
According to the United States Attorney's Office, 52-year-old Davyd George Brand Jimenez posed as a special agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, evening going so far as to flash a fake badge, to carry out these schemes. To strengthen his false persona, he also claimed to be a "G-18" federal official — a position that does not exist.
Prosecutors claim he primarily targeted undocumented immigrants from Latin America, telling them that he could help them obtain work permits, green cards and citizenship.
In exchange for his services, Brand Jimenez charged each victim anywhere between $10,000 and $20,000. He never obtained any immigration benefits for his victims and failed to file any paperwork. To carry out his grift, Brand Jimenez allegedly fabricated documents from the Department of Homeland Security with victims' names.
In one instance he forged a stay of deportation order to trick one of his victims into thinking they would not be deported. Prosecutors said that he also gave a victim a real Social Security card, a U.S. passport card and a California ID. He allegedly instructed them to use the person's alias to stay in the country.
Brand Jimenez's 26-count indictment includes:
- 10 counts of false impersonation of a federal officer or employee,
- Seven counts of fraudulent possession and use of U.S. government seals,
- Three counts of aggravated identity theft
- Three counts of mail fraud
- Two counts of wire fraud
- One count of misusing a United States passport
If convicted, he could face over 180 years in prison.
Federal authorities are still searching for Brand Jimenez after he failed to appear at a sentencing hearing in an unrelated narcotics case.
