Woman Faces 10 Years in Federal Prison After GoFundMe Stunt to Defraud Americans Goes Wrong
As anti-ICE protests continue in major cities, one woman apparently saw an opportunity to cash in on the outrage. Her elaborate tale of being “kidnapped” by federal agents captivated sympathetic audiences – until investigators uncovered the truth.
Federal prosecutors have charged 41-year-old Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, a Mexican national living in the United States illegally, with staging her own fake “kidnapping” by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
A Mexican illegal alien living in Los Angeles was charged with orchestrating her own fake ICE “kidnapping” to generate sympathy and solicit donations, the Justice Department announced Thursday.
Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, 41, a resident of South Los Angeles, was charged with conspiracy and making false statements to federal officers, the DOJ said…
“Dangerous rhetoric that ICE agents are ‘kidnapping’ illegal immigrants is being recklessly peddled by politicians and echoed in the media to inflame the public and discredit our courageous federal agents,” U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said.
According to court papers, Calderon’s family held a dramatic press conference. They claimed she was “kidnapped” by masked men in unmarked cars. This supposedly happened outside a Jack in the Box restaurant in Los Angeles on June 25.
A family attorney told local news that Calderon was taken to the border. The story claimed she was pressured to sign deportation papers. When she refused, she was allegedly held in a warehouse.
The story quickly gained attention. Calderon’s daughter set up a GoFundMe page asking for $4,500. She claimed her mother cared for multiple children, including a 13-year-old with asthma.
What actually happened? Something quite different. Federal agents, worried about Calderon’s safety, started an urgent search over the July 4th weekend.
They found surveillance video showing Calderon calmly walking to a parked car. She got in on her own – no masked agents, no force, no kidnapping.
Phone records showed Calderon’s family members knew where she was all along. They discussed the search efforts among themselves while pretending to know nothing. Investigators even found that Calderon made fake photos to show she had been mistreated in custody.
“The real cost of a fraud like this is huge,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent Eddy Wang. “It means less fentanyl seized, fewer child predators caught, and fewer trafficking victims rescued.”
Federal agents finally found Calderon on July 5 at a shopping plaza in Bakersfield. Even then, she stuck to her fake story. Evidence showed she planned to hold another press conference on July 6 to get more donations. Her GoFundMe had only raised $80 before her scheme was exposed.
Calderon now faces serious trouble. She’s in federal immigration custody and charged with conspiracy and lying to federal officers. If convicted, she could spend up to 10 years in prison.
Federal prosecutors have charged 41-year-old Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, a Mexican national living in the United States illegally, with staging her own fake “kidnapping” by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
A Mexican illegal alien living in Los Angeles was charged with orchestrating her own fake ICE “kidnapping” to generate sympathy and solicit donations, the Justice Department announced Thursday.
Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, 41, a resident of South Los Angeles, was charged with conspiracy and making false statements to federal officers, the DOJ said…
“Dangerous rhetoric that ICE agents are ‘kidnapping’ illegal immigrants is being recklessly peddled by politicians and echoed in the media to inflame the public and discredit our courageous federal agents,” U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said.
According to court papers, Calderon’s family held a dramatic press conference. They claimed she was “kidnapped” by masked men in unmarked cars. This supposedly happened outside a Jack in the Box restaurant in Los Angeles on June 25.
A family attorney told local news that Calderon was taken to the border. The story claimed she was pressured to sign deportation papers. When she refused, she was allegedly held in a warehouse.
The story quickly gained attention. Calderon’s daughter set up a GoFundMe page asking for $4,500. She claimed her mother cared for multiple children, including a 13-year-old with asthma.
What actually happened? Something quite different. Federal agents, worried about Calderon’s safety, started an urgent search over the July 4th weekend.
They found surveillance video showing Calderon calmly walking to a parked car. She got in on her own – no masked agents, no force, no kidnapping.
Phone records showed Calderon’s family members knew where she was all along. They discussed the search efforts among themselves while pretending to know nothing. Investigators even found that Calderon made fake photos to show she had been mistreated in custody.
“The real cost of a fraud like this is huge,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent Eddy Wang. “It means less fentanyl seized, fewer child predators caught, and fewer trafficking victims rescued.”
Federal agents finally found Calderon on July 5 at a shopping plaza in Bakersfield. Even then, she stuck to her fake story. Evidence showed she planned to hold another press conference on July 6 to get more donations. Her GoFundMe had only raised $80 before her scheme was exposed.
Calderon now faces serious trouble. She’s in federal immigration custody and charged with conspiracy and lying to federal officers. If convicted, she could spend up to 10 years in prison.
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