A federal court handed down sentences Thursday to five Cuban nationals and a Florida resident for running a transnational migrant smuggling network that raked in millions in illegal profits, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The criminal organization, which operated from 2021 to 2025, enticed thousands of Cubans to either illegally cross the southern border or enter the country using fake travel authorizations, charging between $1,500 and $40,000 per person. In some cases, the operators even chartered private planes to transport groups of migrants.
Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, aged 27, received the harshest sentence of four years in prison. As the primary orchestrator of the fraudulent immigration benefits scheme, she personally filed hundreds of false asylum applications and coordinated international travel logistics. She pleaded guilty to four charges, including conspiracy to smuggle migrants for profit and international money laundering.
This case reflects the ever-evolving landscape of migration. Stay updated on legal proceedings, deportations, and border policies in our U.S. Immigration section.
Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 30, was sentenced to 30 months. The indictment revealed that she utilized the network's services to enter the country alongside family members and filed fraudulent asylum applications as an employee and manager of the organization.
The other four sentenced individuals—Miguel Martinez Vasconcelos (31), Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero (32), Walbis Pozo-Dutel (32), and Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez (29)—each received two-year prison terms. Escalona-Marrero was involved in clandestinely sending Cuban passports from Mexico to avoid confiscation at the border.
Among the network's more sophisticated methods was filing fraudulent applications to the ESTA visa waiver program, which is available only to citizens of countries with special agreements with Washington, like Spain. Although Cuba is ineligible for this program, the organization fabricated European citizenship documents and falsely claimed applicants hadn't been to the island since 2011. The network openly advertised on social media, directly recruiting clients in Cuba.
In total, the organization was responsible for over 1,700 fraudulent asylum applications and laundered more than $22 million through numerous shell companies. Between July 2022 and November 2024, it spent over $600,000 on commercial flights with a single airline.
"These defendants turned illegal immigration into a billion-dollar criminal enterprise, smuggling people into the United States to line their pockets and laundering millions in illicit profits to conceal their operations," stated Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division.
The case is part of a broader indictment against 12 individuals filed in September 2025. Two other defendants—Yuniel Lima-Santos and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra—have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, while Lázaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez was found guilty by a jury in September and faces up to 20 years in prison at a hearing scheduled for December 17. Two additional suspects, Marianny Lucia Lopez-Torres and Frandy Aragon-Diaz, remain at large.
The case was prosecuted under Operation Recover America and the Justice Department's Joint Task Force Alpha, which has achieved over 486 international and domestic arrests and more than 447 convictions in the U.S. for human trafficking networks to date.
Key Questions on U.S. Immigration Fraud Case
What was the primary method used by the smuggling network?
The network primarily used fake travel authorizations and illegal border crossings to smuggle migrants, charging substantial fees for their services.
Who was the main organizer of the fraudulent scheme?
Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez was identified as the principal orchestrator, managing false asylum applications and international travel logistics.
How did the organization advertise its services?
The organization openly promoted its services on social media, directly targeting clients in Cuba.
What was the scope of the financial operations of the smuggling network?
The network laundered over $22 million through various shell companies and incurred significant expenses on commercial flights.