An East Los Angeles woman who operated a fraudulent immigration-services business from her home that bilked dozens of people out of more than $300,000 pleaded guilty Thursday to 12 felonies.
Under the terms of a plea agreement, Dalila Moreno, 63, is expected to be sentenced to nine years in jail followed by three years of post-custody supervision, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 7.
Moreno pleaded guilty to six counts of counterfeit seal, three counts of forgery and single counts of grand theft of personal property, attempted grand theft of personal property and extortion.
Moreno had initially been charged with counts involving 13 victims, but prosecutors later added charges pertaining to 19 other victims.
Between September 2010 and May 2015, Moreno falsely promised to expedite the processing of visas, resident alien cards and citizenship petitions for her clients and their families, and told her clients that she worked for the government, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said she pretended to provide services by creating false visas and passport stamps and collected more than $300,000 from clients without providing the promised services.
Moreno was arrested Jan. 10.
She could have faced up to 28 years in prison if convicted of the original charges against her.