Agents Arrest 9 in Breaking Up Ring That Made, Sold Bogus ‘Green Cards’
Federal and state agents have arrested nine people and dismantled a multimillion-dollar Los Angeles counterfeiting ring that supplied illegal immigrants nationwide with bogus “green cards” and other documents, authorities said Wednesday.
“These counterfeit documents have been showing up all over the nation--East Coast, West Coast and the northern and southern borders,” said John Brechtel, assistant district director for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. “This is the biggest case we have ever run into.”
In 13 raids in Los Angeles County on Tuesday, agents seized at least 250,000 documents worth an estimated $8 million.
INS officials said those arrested included Hyun Bae Suh, 36, who allegedly ran the print shop at 3518 W. Pico Blvd. where the counterfeiting took place, and brothers Antonio Santiago-Lopez, 35, and MacLovio Ramirez Cruz, 27, the alleged ringleaders.
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