Justice Scales and books and wooden gavel
Dozens of local immigrants were scammed by an immigration attorney whose license was recently suspended, Massachusetts authorities say.
Most of the immigrants deceived by Maroun belong to the Brazilian community of Massachusetts, and one of the victims spoke exclusively with Telemundo Responde, to share his experience — Ricardo Souza was part of the first group of clients who decided to stop the abuse.
Souza calculated that he had lost tens of thousands of dollars in the immigration trap of former attorney George Maroun.
Maroun used new immigration laws implemented by former President Donald Trump as a pretext to charge more money for the alleged need to carry out new procedures, and when his clients refused to pay him more, “he used threats, such as that he knew people at the immigration agencies and could cause his client to be deported,” said David Ureña, assistant attorney to Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey.
Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters.
Ureña explained that, beyond the money, several immigrants lost the opportunity to resolve their immigration situation due to false promises made by Maroun. "There are several who, for example, were eligible for some immigration benefit, but because of Maroun's actions they entered the deportation process,” he added.
Maroun allegedly made asylum applications for dozens of immigrants who were not eligible, all in order to take advantage of delays in the process and get his clients a temporary work permit while they waited for their appointment to defend a case that probably would be rejected.
The Middlesex High Court ruled against Maroun last March, forcing him to garner $483,600 in fines, civil penalties and restitution to victims. In August, his license was suspended for two years.
The Massachusetts attorney general's office found a path to legal citizenship for Souza, his family and some of the other victims.
To avoid this in an immigration case, it is important to be aware of every legal step your lawyer takes. Request copies of applications sent to immigration offices. If you doubt a strategy, get a second opinion, keep receipts for all payments, and remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Those who have been victims of the Maroun scam should know that they can still be compensated, even if they did not participate in the class action. For more information, contact the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office Civil Rights Division at 617-963-2917 or click here.
