Man Poses as ICE Agent to Scam Immigrants

A San Ysidro man pleaded guilty in federal court after prosecutors said he posed as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent to scam Orange County immigrants seeking legal status. (10news.com) Davyd George Brand Jimenez, 55, entered his plea on April 22 in downtown Los Angeles to 10 counts of false impersonation of a federal officer, two counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count each of fraudulent use of U.S. government seals and aggravated identity theft. (kesq.com) Federal prosecutors said he targeted more than 25 Orange County victims from April 2019 to November 2020, charging each person between $10,000 and $20,000 while promising help with work permits, green cards, or U.S. citizenship. (justice.gov) According to the 2023 indictment, Brand Jimenez showed victims a fake Immigration and Customs Enforcement badge, claimed he was a “Homeland Security” official, and sometimes used the made-up title “G-18” to sound legitimate. (justice.gov) Prosecutors said he did not file the immigration paperwork he promised and instead gave some victims fabricated documents bearing Department of Homeland Security emblems, including a fake stay of deportation order. (justice.gov) The case landed as California officials were already warning about a rise in fake Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and other immigration scams. Attorney General Rob Bonta issued that warning on March 18, 2025. (oag.ca.gov) In that advisory, Bonta said real immigration officers should carry identifying badges and credentials, and his office told Californians not to hand over money or personal information to anyone claiming there is a problem with an immigration case. (oag.ca.gov) Brand Jimenez is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16, and the maximum penalties described in local coverage include up to 117 years in prison, a $4 million fine, and $152,476 in restitution to at least 25 victims. (ocregister.com)