“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,” said District Attorney Bragg. “If you believe you or someone you know has been a victim of this type of fraud, we urge you to call our office’s Immigration Affairs Unit hotline at 212-335-3600 or via WhatsApp at 347-371-0877. Interpreters are available to assist non-native English speakers and we encourage all to reach out regardless of immigration status.”

“By corrupting the market, Lawrence Wecker and Joseph Guinta robbed legitimate MWBEs and smaller contractors of the chance to do business in New York,” said District Attorney Bragg. “These defendants engaged in multiple types of fraud and corruption, from committing insurance fraud to doling cash bribes. We will not tolerate fraud in the construction industry, particularly at the expense of New York’s workers.”

“These business owners exploited their workers – primarily undocumented, vulnerable New Yorkers – by devaluing their payrolls and scheming to avoid insurance premiums,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Moreover, Steven Lyon abused his role as a Certified Public Accountant, casting aside his fiscal duties at the expense of workers performing dangerous jobs. Thanks to the attorneys in my office and our many law enforcement partners, we returned $7,750,000 to the New York State Insurance Fund through this prosecution.”

“The affordable housing lottery is a crucial part of our city’s commitment to providing homes for New Yorkers of all backgrounds and incomes,” said District Attorney Bragg. “As alleged, this family manipulated that critical program to enrich themselves by lying and forging documents for years. We are laser-focused on ensuring integrity in our housing systems and protecting New York’s millions of tenants. I thank DOI and HPD for their partnership in investigating and enforcing this shared goal.” 

“This defendant has now returned more than $30,000 back to New York City thanks to the hard work of our prosecutors. During a time where our city budget is strained, our taxpayer dollars need to be put directly to services that will help New Yorkers. We will continue to prosecute those who defraud the public and think they can use city funds for their own personal use,” said District Attorney Bragg.