Cuban man arrested over immigration solicitation scam

A Cuban was arrested by federal agents on Friday, following a sting operation carried out in McAllen. Agents from the Office of Professional Responsibility of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency were in position and ready to place under arrest Eugenio Augustin Munoz-Canellas. This followed completion of the operation, according to the stated federal criminal complaint.

Munoz-Canellas is alleged to have made claims to an informant that he was an employee of the US federal government. He then went on to suggest that he would be willing to provide to the informant lawful permanent resident status in exchange for a bribe, the criminal complaint states. There is no chance that Munoz-Canellas works or has ever worked for the federal government in any capacity, let alone for the immigration department. Munoz-Canellas allegedly demanded a bribe of $7000 as well as requesting two recent passport photos and a copy of the Mexican visa that belonged to the informant, the complaint alleges.

Over the course of the meeting, the informant handed the suspect both the passport photos requested, as well as a payment of $2800. Federal agents were waiting to place Munoz-Canellas under arrest immediately on his exit from the meeting. He was then charged with impersonating an employee or officer of the US federal government and soliciting money. Munoz-Canellas does not have an attorney listed in court records and currently remains in federal custody.