12 accused of operating ‘sham’ immigration business to smuggle migrants into the U.S.

Several Florida residents are among a group of 12 people who have been charged in their roles in an international operation that involved operating a "sham" immigration business to smuggle migrants into the United States, federal officials said Thursday.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice , the group is accused of facilitating the smuggling operation by preparing visa applications, laundering millions of dollars in payment and exploiting the immigration process through the business, ASESORIA Y SERVICIOS MIGRATORIOS LLC.

“Through diligent investigation, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and our partners exposed a multi-national, multi-year, multi-million dollar criminal conspiracy operated by aliens that attempted to undermine our immigration system and flood our