Published Wednesday, December 24, 2003

Three Indicted in Immigration Scam

The Miami Herald

MIAMI -- A grand jury indicted a federal immigration worker and two community \"recruiters\" on charges they concocted a scheme to sell phony work permits -- costing a minimum of $5,500 apiece -- to more than 200 illegal immigrants.

Isidro Guerrero Fernandez, 32, of Miami, used his position at the Citizenship and Immigration Service building to sell hundreds of work permit cards, according to the indictment released Monday,

He and his alleged accomplices, Miguel Raggio, 50, and Vivian Ciarrochi, 38, both of Miami, were charged with conspiring to transfer identification documents, unlawfully obtaining the documents and soliciting and accepting bribes while being a public official.

The three were arrested in November.

Guerrero was arrested Nov. 13, while in Glynco, Ga., where he was training to become a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security.

Jeffrey Feiler, Guerrero's lawyer, did not immediately return a phone message Tuesday. There was no information on lawyers for the other two men.

Investigators said they were first tipped off about the case in September. They said Guerrero worked as the inside man while Raggio and Ciarrochi recruited illegal immigrants to buy the permits.

The permits, called employment authorization documents, provide evidence to employers that an immigrant is here legally and is allowed to work in the United States. Authorities said the trio offered to obtain the work permits for $5,500 to $12,000. The permits typically cost about $110.

Investigators said more than 200 immigrants, mostly from Central and South America, bought the bogus permits. Raggio eventually cooperated with federal agents.

Officials said the investigation was ongoing and it was not known what would happen to those who bought the permits.