Pablo Israel Ortega Cuenca charged thousands of dollars by posing as an immigration lawyer without being one, claims an indictment from the Manhattan Prosecutor’s Office.

“As alleged, New Yorkers looking to become permanent residents trusted Pablo Israel Ortega Cuenca to provide them with legal services, and he broke that trust by taking advantage of them and putting them at risk of deportation,” Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said in a statement.

A man was indicted on Thursday for pretending to be an immigration attorney to various people and for stealing thousands of dollars in legal fees from them, according to prosecutors.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s eventful 2023 didn’t slow down for the holiday season, although he did find time to enjoy a cup of apple cider. On December 20, he sat down with the AmNews to reflect on his second year as the borough’s first-ever Black chief prosecutor.

An octogenarian construction executive is likely headed to prison after pleading guilty to charges over fraud in his work with minority and women-owned businesses.