Accused of Posing as Attorney : Canoga Park Resident Arrested in Scheme to Defraud Illegal Alien

A Canoga Park man was arrested Monday for allegedly posing as an attorney specializing in immigration law and defrauding a British illegal alien who had hired him to help in applying for amnesty.

Ken Thompkins, 51, was arrested without resistance at his home by Los Angeles police on a warrant filed Friday by the Los Angeles city attorney’s office charging Thompkins with one count of grand theft.

Thompkins was taken to the Devonshire Division station, where he was released after posting $3,000 bail.

Thompkins is to be arraigned Aug. 17 in Los Angeles Municipal Court. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to a year in County Jail and fined $1,000.

“The rip-off was a classic example of how undocumented immigrants can be victimized by con artists,” said City Attorney James Hahn at a news conference to announce the arrest.

Investigators are seeking to determine whether other illegal immigrants may have been similarly defrauded, Deputy City Atty. Katharine MacKenzie said. Thompkins was using letterhead stationary under the name Alien Registration Service, she said.

Responded to Ad in 1984

The unidentified victim, who had lived illegally in the United States since the late 1970s, responded to a newspaper ad allegedly placed by Thompkins in July, 1984, offering immigration assistance, said MacKenzie. The victim called the Canoga Park telephone number listed in the advertisement and reached Thompkins, who arranged a meeting at his Hanna Avenue home, MacKenzie said.

“The defendant had business cards, stationery and all the trappings to make himself look like an attorney,” Hahn alleged. Thompkins allegedly charged the victim $400 and promised to file papers seeking amnesty for the British immigrant after the anticipated passage of the Simpson-Mazzoli Act, he said.

In May the British immigrant called Thompkins, who allegedly admitted he had not filed and did not intend to file an application for amnesty for the victim. Thompkins gave the victim back an uncashed $25 check the victim had earlier made out to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, but he refused to refund the $400 fee, Hahn said.

Thompkins then sent the victim a bill showing another $285 owed for services, prosecutors said.

MacKenzie said prosecutors learned about the alleged fraud about a week ago and rushed to file the case before the statute of limitations lapses July 31.

Thompkins could not be reached for comment Monday.