Hudson Valley Woman Admits to Defrauding Immigrants

In a landmark conviction, a Hudson Valley woman admitted she conned four immigrants.

Maria Medina, 67, formerly of Wallkill, pleaded guilty in Orange County Court to immigrant assistance services fraud, a felony.

Medina admitted that she defrauded at least four different recent immigrants from Mexico and Columbia, by making false promises to them that she could accelerate changes to their legal immigration status by providing them with United States residency cards, commonly called “green cards.”

“We are a nation of immigrants and all of our residents deserve to be free from being victimized by crime,” Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said. “Those who think that they can escape arrest or prosecution in Orange County by preying on undocumented immigrants, who may be reluctant to come forward because of their immigration status, are sadly mistaken.”

As part of the plea agreement, Medina agreed to pay $9,350 in restitution to the immigrants she defrauded. Medina also acknowledged that she will likely be deported after her prison sentence. She is scheduled to be sentenced in Oct.

In June, Medina was charged with four-counts of grand larceny, scheme to defraud, and four-counts of immigrant assistance services fraud.

The guilty plea is the first conviction for immigrant assistance services fraud in Orange County.

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