Fake ICE man robs undocumented workers, now he gets to defend his virginity

 Michael Ruiz Pleads Guilty

fake ice and ins claims win

hefty jail time

Michael Ruiz is an officer with the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  At least that is what he claimed when shook down innocent immigrants for big bucks!

Ruiz started his crime spree in New Jersey where he found plenty of victims.  He would approach immigrants who wanted to naturalize in the U.S. or who needed cover.  He offered to produce fake green cards and other documents for a fee according to the Associated Press.  Ruiz told them he was with the INS and collected big bucks for his promises. 

Unfortunately for Ruiz, he did not perform.  That made him lots of enemies.  In other schemes he approached people with immigration matters.  He told them if they didn’t pay him money he would throw their application process off kilter.

Things must have gotten pretty hot for crooked Mikey after he took at least 20 victims of $150,000, in New Jersey, according to the Cliff View Pilot.  The con man who preyed on the weakest of the weak had pled guilty to a mail fraud charge in New Jersey.  What does a conniving crook do?  Move locations.  Mike Ruiz packed up and moved to Jacksonville, Florida when he started to work on a new set of victims in late 2007.

For example, in November 2008, Ruiz found a business owner who needed to resolve an immigration problem.  He tried to extort money out of the owner but the owner resisted.  That is when Ruiz started the arm twisting once again.  He was an ICE officer, and the business man was going to have problems with immigration if he didn’t pay up!  The business man paid Ruiz his vig. 

Now hard at the ‘whip the immigrant game’ Ruiz demanded money from two more victims in Jacksonville in December of 2008.  He would help them with their visa application, he said. 

Business must have been booming for a crook posing as an ICE agent.  Ruiz hit two more innocent immigrants during January of 2009 in Orange Park, Florida.  In this case, he promised help for relatives with immigration problems.  By the end of January, Ruiz had an extra $62K in his fat wallet!  That is what he admitted to.  Who knows if he made even more than that!

Fortunately, ICE is interested in more than just undocumented immigrants.  They are active champions against child pornography.  They also don’t take kindly to crooks who pose as ICE officers in order to beat innocent people out of money.  ICE got wind of the crooked plan Ruiz was using and Ruiz found himself once again arrested for his activities. 

This time we got a conviction and with some luck the crook won’t take poor people who don’t understand the system anymore.  Michael Ruiz, plead guilty in New Jersey federal court on May 10 to a three-count indictment on federal fraud charges originating out of the Middle District of Florida, for impersonating an immigration official in order to defraud immigrants in Jacksonville of approximately $62,000.

"Impersonating a federal agent or officer is a serious crime," said Susan McCormick, ICE special agent in charge of the Office of Investigations overseeing Jacksonville. "People who abuse the public's trust for their own personal gain will be held accountable for their actions."

Mike Ruiz will be sentenced on Aug. 19, 2010 according to the New York City Federal Defense Blog..  He faces three years in prison on each of the counts to which he pleaded for his crimes in Florida, and 20 years in prison on the mail fraud charge to which he previously pleaded guilty. He could also be fined up to $250,000 for each time he ripped an immigrant off for a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss caused by his dishonest deed.  Better, in this case, to hit him with the $250k fine.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott B. McBride of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division, District of New Jersey.

Michael Ruiz is a prime example why people should join in the protests and demands for immigration reform.  Until Reform can be had innocent immigrants will be subject to greedy men posing as ICE and INS like Ruiz.  Think twice about taking advantage of poor people who fear the system.  Justice will catch up to you if the primos don’t get there first.  Then you will have a chance to defend your virginity in the cross bar motel!

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