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 Dakot

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