SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu announced on Tuesday the superior court ruled in favor of the city in stopping what they are categorizing as a “predatory immigration consulting business” that has defrauded hundreds of people.
After years of injunctions against San Francisco public notary proprietor Leonard Lacayo, the superior court is ruling in favor of the city.
“We had to go back to court again, and we appreciate that a judge just issued a ruling, that requires him to pay over $600,000 for his predatory His predatory actions,” said San Francisco City Attorney, David Chiu.
The court found Lacayo, and his business Lacayo & Associates violated the 2017 injunction prohibiting them from providing immigration-related services.
PREVIOUS STORY: SF judge rules in favor of city to stop business from providing ‘fraudulent immigration services’
According to the city attorney’s office, Lacayo “tricked hundreds of vulnerable people into paying him to handle incredibly complex and high-stakes immigration matters.”
“We had heard in recent years that he continued to do what he’s doing. We investigated him, we were able to document a number of individuals, who had shared with us,” said Chiu.
Nonprofit ‘La Raza Centro Legal’ said they have multiple clients who have been victims of Lacayo. Some people paid him thousands of dollars and are now at risk of deportation.
“Lacayo is a fraud. He has been operating I believe since before 2017, but we have been seeing that he has really being causing irreparable harm in the community to missed deadlines, to deportation or removal orders,” said April Calvo-Perez, attorney at La Raza Centro Legal
Calvo-Perez said some of her clients went to Lacayo because of what the word “notary” means in Spanish.
“Most folks come from Latin America and the term “notario” in Latin American countries is interchangeable with a legal service provider or someone who can consult you on legal matters,” said Calvo-Perez.
We spoke to Lacayo about these accusations.
“I would be in jail if I were a fraud. I have never defrauded anybody,” said Lacayo.
Luz Pena: “What type of services do you offer here?”
Leonard Lacayo: “I particularly do taxes and notary public services and that is it. If people come talk to me about anything under the sun, where can they learn English? How can they get medical attention?”
Pena: “Do you give immigration advice? Do you file immigration paperwork for people?”
Lacayo: “I don’t file any immigration paperwork.”
Lacayo said he used to offer immigration consulting services but stopped in 2017.
“They are lying, and they know it. All they are doing is slander me and trying to defame me to try to trivialize the fact that they are corrupt,” said Lacayo.
As to the $600,000 he is now ordered to pay San Francisco.
“I don’t have a penny to my name. I don’t have money. If I were swindling and defrauding people, I would have millions of dollars. I don’t have them because I don’t charge anything because I don’t do anything,” said Lacayo.
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