The Aporia · Phony travel agent convicted in $20M human smuggling scheme that funneled Cubans into US

Phony travel agent convicted in $20M human smuggling scheme that funneled Cubans into US

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Reyes, R. (2026, September 25). Phony travel agent convicted in $20M human smuggling scheme that funneled Cubans into US. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/09/25/us-news/phony-travel-agent-convicted-in-20m-human-smuggling-scheme-that-funneled-cubans-into-us/

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Quick Summary

Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, a Cuban national operating out of Florida, was convicted by a federal jury for his role in a $20 million human smuggling scheme that brought hundreds of Cubans into the United States under false pretenses from January 2021 to June 2025. Using a travel agency called "ASESORIA Y SERVICIOS MIGRATORIOS LLC," Cabrera-Rodriguez charged between $1,500 and $40,000 for fraudulent immigration services, including filing fake ESTA applications and laundering money through Zelle. He faces up to 20 years in prison at his sentencing on December 17.

Written by AI on 2026-10-02, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, a Cuban national based in Florida, was convicted by a federal jury on Thursday for his role in a $20 million human smuggling operation that brought hundreds of Cubans into the US illegally. The 28-year-old's travel agency charged between $1,500 and $40,000 for fake immigration services from January 2021 to June 2025, tricking victims into believing they could enter America legally by posing as European citizens. Cabrera-Rodriguez used his agency to file at least 600 false visa waiver applications, arrange flights from Cuba to other countries, and coordinate with smugglers across the Americas. He laundered the proceeds through 57 bank accounts and faces up to 20 years in prison. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division stated that Cabrera-Rodriguez's agency provided a facade of legitimacy to evade detection during this extensive scheme.

Written for “Human Smuggling Conviction” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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Hedges 0 of 5 claims Outlet record 66/100

“The articles describe different criminal activities involving distinct individuals and organizations: one is about fentanyl trafficking coordinated by a Mexican trafficker, while the other is about human smuggling carried out by a Cuban national.”

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sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

15%

2 of 13 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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withheld

no quote in the article backed the model's score

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66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Crime & Law

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Ronny Reyes

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All 64 articles by Ronny Reyes →

Claims (13 extracted, 2 hedged)

A Cuban national who took part in a $20 million human smuggling scheme that brought hundreds of Cubans into the US was convicted by a federal jury on Thursday and faces up to 20 years in prison, the Department of Justice said. asserted

Department → take → Justice

Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 28, of Florida, was found guilty over his role in the smuggling and money laundering scheme shut down last year, which saw his travel agency charge between $1,500 and $40,000 for bogus immigration services. asserted

agency → find → services

The agency was accused of promoting bogus visa services from January 2021 through June 2025, effectively tricking Cubans into thinking that they could enter America legally by posing as European citizens. uncertain

they → accuse → citizens

“Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez used his travel agency as a front to illegally smuggle Cuban aliens into the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. asserted

Duva → use → Division

“His travel agency provided a veneer of legitimacy to evade detection when the defendant falsely completed and filed at least 600 applications for visa waivers, arranged to fly the aliens from Cuba to third countries, further coordinated with other smugglers throughout the Americas, and laundered over $20 million through 57 bank accounts,” Duva added. asserted

Duva → provide → accounts

Cabrera-Rodriguez’s “ASESORIA Y SERVICIOS MIGRATORIOS LLC” would go on to fabricate documents, charter private planes and launder money through the Zelle payment app, according to the DOJ. uncertain

LLC → go → DOJ

The company promoted itself on social media as dedicated to helping immigrants fill out permits and asylum paperwork, but in reality, the defendants filed hundreds of fake Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications to US Customs and Border Protection. asserted

defendants → promote → Customs

“It was a criminal enterprise built on treating people like cargo and using their desperation for financial gain,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa. asserted

Ingegno → build → Investigations

“Alien smuggling organizations do not provide a service; they exploit vulnerable people for profit while undermining the integrity of our borders and immigration system,” Ingegno added. asserted

Ingegno → provide → system

Cabrera-Rodriguez was convicted of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, conspiracy to commit international money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering concealment. asserted

Rodriguez → convict → concealment

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 17, where he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. asserted

he → schedule → prison

Twelve other defendants in the case have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, with a 13th defendant, Erik Ventura-Castro, 24, sentenced to 30 months in prison in July. asserted

defendant → plead → July

The indictments were part of the DOJ’s Operation Take Back America, a nationwide program aimed at tackling illegal immigration and transnational crime. asserted

indictments → take → immigration

Phony travel agent convicted in $20M human smuggling scheme that funneled Cubans into US

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Claims (13 extracted, 2 hedged)