3 Colombians charged with helping 100 people lie to get US visas

3 Colombians charged in US visa fraud case

WASHINGTON — Three Colombian citizens have been arrested on charges of alien smuggling — accused of coaching more than 100 people how to lie to obtain visas to travel to the United States.

The three were arrested Tuesday in Bogota after being indicted in federal court in Washington.

Prosecutors charge the three were part of a sophisticated visa fraud ring that helped Colombian citizens get visas from the U.S. Embassy in Bogota.

According to a newly unsealed indictment, the group taught clients to lie and say they were married, or had children, to help convince U.S. officials that they would return to Colombia after visiting the U.S.

The indictment charges many of those who did fraudulently obtain the visas later entered the U.S.

The charges against Heliber Toro Mejia, 50, Humberto Toro Mejia, 58, and Luz Elena Acuna Rios, 51, grew out of an investigation called “Operation Coffee Country” run by the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and the Homeland Security Department’s Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency.

The case is being overseen by Channing Phillips, the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.