NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has announced his office has charged Edwin Rivera, the operator of a Bronx accounting office formerly known as “Inmigracion Hoy News Today,” with falsely representing himself as an attorney.
According to allegations, Rivera alleged to have more than 30 years of experience as an immigration services attorney. He used these representations to help undocumented consumers go through the immigration status adjustment process. Rivera owes $34,331 in fines and restitution for his purported victims. He must also provide Schneiderman’s office with an accounting of his customers and all fees paid to him.
“My office won’t tolerate fraudsters who line their pockets by defrauding some of our most vulnerable communities,” Schneiderman said. “The arrest of Mr. Rivera underscores my office’s commitment to protecting all New Yorkers from unscrupulous immigration service providers, particularly against repeat offenders.”
Senior investigators Luis Carter and Edward Ortiz looked into the case for the state, with assistance from investigators Ismael Hernandez, Andres Rodriguez, Steve Pratt, and David Negron. Assistant attorney general Jason Clark of the Attorney General’s Harlem Regional Office is handling the prosecution.