CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / LOS ANGELES
A Montebello woman accused of defrauding more than 100 victims through an immigration fraud scheme pleaded no contest to eight counts of grand theft Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
Romina Aida Zadorian, 39, admitted taking more than $500,000 from 101 victims, mostly recent immigrants living in the Los Angeles area, Deputy Dist. Atty. Dana Aratani of the Consumer Protection Division said. From 2003 to 2008, Zadorian pretended to be an attorney for an immigration consulting business in Montebello, and told clients she could help them obtain residency, citizenship and work permits.
After collecting fees from clients, Zadorian would file improper documents on their behalf, which often resulted in their applications being denied.
Zadorian is expected to be sentenced Feb. 3 to 10 years in state prison and ordered to pay restitution totaling more than $870,000. Her consulting company, RZ Services, has been shut down, Aratani said.
-- Catherine Ho
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
