The victims, all Spanish speakers, were approached at church and promised legal help with immigration issues — for a price.
But authorities say the promised legal help was a scam and the attorney they were told would help them does not exist.
The ringleader of the scam, Kira Milany Romero Pinto, 40, of Lake Elmo, is now facing a felony racketeering charge and 11 felony counts of theft by swindle in Washington County District Court.
Pinto’s husband, Denis Rigoberto Aquino Martinez, 40, of Lake Elmo, and Luis Baltazar Leiva Aquino, 48, of Lakeville, also were charged for their roles in the scam.
In all, the three scammed more than 25 victims out of more than $563,000 during an almost two-year period, starting on Jan. 1, 2023, according to the Washington County Attorney’s Office and Dakota County Attorney’s Office, which are jointly prosecuting the cases.
The scams allegedly started with Pinto contacting prospective victims at church — either in Woodbury or Inver Grove Heights — and then offering assistance with immigration services, prosecutors say.
Pinto claimed she was connected to “a high-powered immigration attorney named Isabella Jason who could help them either obtain legal status in the United States or obtain citizenship more quickly,” Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson said. “The defendants would tell the victims that they needed money — usually cash — to retain the attorney. The defendants would require the victims to sign ‘contracts’ promising legal services for their money.”
The case, Magnuson said, is “a disturbing example of individuals exploiting trust within immigrant communities. We are committed to holding accountable those who prey on vulnerable residents seeking help and stability.”
Pinto told the victims that she could “help them in various ways, including legal assistance for immigration issues, obtaining visas for loved ones abroad, and assisting with unpaid bills in exchange for a monetary payment,” according to the criminal complaint filed against her.
In one case, she offered to sell the pastor of a church in Inver Grove Heights a $12,000 “golden card” that would give him the ability to help others get United States citizenship, the complaint states. “(But) at no point did any victim receive the documents or services promised by (Pinto).”
The pastor told police that Pinto “would often tell potential victims that there are laws in place which prohibit her from just ‘helping’ one person, so she would tell the victims to recruit other individuals to be ‘helped’ by her,” the complaint states.
Pinto required many of the victims to make advance cash payments in order to receive the services, with several of the payments taking place at her and Martinez’ residence in Lake Elmo, the complaint states.
One victim told police that he began giving Pinto cash in 2023 to help his wife gain U.S. citizenship. In total, between 2023 and 2024, he paid Pinto $22,000, the complaint states.
“In May 2025, (he) stated he took his wife to (Pinto’s) residence in Lake Elmo at (her) request so (his) wife could take a citizenship test,” the complaint states. “Neither (he) nor his wife received immigration documents or services as promised by Pinto.”
Aquino Martinez is charged with one count of felony theft by swindle and two counts of felony aiding and abetting theft by swindle. Leiva Aquino is charged with two counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle. All three were arrested and remain in custody.
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Because the victims live in both Washington and Dakota counties, the cases are being jointly prosecuted by the Washington and Dakota county attorneys’ offices. Seven of the victims are Washington County residents, and the known loss to those victims exceeds $118,000, Magnuson said.
Assistant Washington County Attorneys Nick Hydukovich and Richard Podvin and Assistant Dakota County Attorneys Evan Frazier and Molly Doda are prosecuting the case. The charges were filed in Washington County District Court, and court hearings will be held in Stillwater.
The investigation is being led by the Mendota Heights Police Department, with assistance from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Cottage Grove Police Department, Inver Grove Heights Police Department, Lakeville Police Department and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
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