A New York immigration attorney was found guilty of asylum fraud, making false statements to immigration authorities, and aggravated identity theft.
According to a statement made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Andreea Dumitru, is a forty-three-year-old living in Queens, New York.
ICE's statement says that Dumitru "knowingly made false statements and representations on more than 100 asylum applications. He was convicted of one count of asylum fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, one count of making false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison."
The indictment prior to the case going to trial credits Dumitru with knowingly fabricating asylum applicants' personal narratives of prosecution as well as criminal and travel histories. The indictment also says that Dumitru fabricated stories of mistreatment of her clients, forged their signatures, and falsely notarized affidavits.
Dumitru is awaiting sentencing.
While this news is startling, it is also noteworthy that in the majority of the statement, ICE uses masculine pronouns but then switches to feminine pronouns midway down. Based on other sources, Andreea Dumitru is a woman and she originally received her law degree in Romania.
According to Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman, "Andreea Dumitru, an immigration attorney, scammed the asylum program, which was designed to provide safe harbor for the world's most vulnerable people."
ICE's Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent-In-Charge, Angel M. Melendez, Dumitru's "actions took up time and resources while those with valid asylum claims waited in line. Now...[she will] face the consequences."
According to the ICE statement, Dumitru was operating these schemes for five years, from 2013 to 2017.
To read the Immigration and Custom's Enforcement statement, click here.
To read more information regarding Dumitru and her charges, click here.
