A Filipino who practiced immigration law without a license in New York has been arrested and charged for defrauding at least 50 unsuspecting Filipino clients out of thousands of dollars and turning their “American Dream” into an “American Nightmare.”

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said Larry R. Valorozo, a resident of Staten Island, N.Y., where he also maintained offices and represented himself to be an attorney specializing in immigration law, is now in custody for filing false immigration documents and practicing without a license.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said more victims are expected to come forward.

Valorozo, 43, a native of Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, Philippines, was reportedly arrested in Miami, Florida, while attending classes at St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami Gardens, sources told the Filipino Reporter.

He was indicted on Dec. 20, 2005 on eight counts of mail fraud and 24 counts of signing false immigration documents under penalty of perjury and another 25 counts of presenting false immigration documents.

He is facing at least 20 years behind bars if convicted.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Nathanson said Valorozo was transported to New York in January and is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Manhattan.

Considered a flight risk, the judge did not set bail, Nathanson said.

Nathanson said Valorozo’s illegal practice came to the attention of the authorities some two years ago after they were contacted by one of Valorozo’s alleged victims.

Valorozo, who claimed to have earned his law degree from the University of the East in Manila, represented himself falsely as an attorney on all forms he submitted to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and deceived dozens of victims who wanted to obtain legal status of as much as $8,000, according to court documents.

“The defendant disseminated business cards on which he claimed to be a member of the American Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association, and on which he placed ‘J.D.,’ an abbreviation for ‘Juris Doctor’ or ‘Doctor of Jurisprudence,’” court papers show.

Valorozo also indicated in petitions submitted to the USCIS that he was affiliated with various companies, and told his victims that these affiliations enabled him to sponsor people for employment in the U.S., the documents say.

The companies listed included “Linchpin Technologies, Inc.” “CitiSkilled Overseas Professionals Employment, LLC,” “Neuro Science Health Care,” “McClelland Home for Adults” and “Pacific Lloyd Group, Inc.”

Valorozo listed the particular entity’s address as his residential address on Staten Island or as a post office box he controlled on Staten Island.

Court papers said some of the business entities listed either did not exist or did not offer jobs at all.

One victim, who talked to the Reporter on condition of anonymity, said she and her parents lost to Valorozo’s scheme a total of $6,000 in February 2003.

“He seemed to be a nice guy...but when my parents and I completed our $6,000 payment, hindi na namin siya mahagilap (we couldn’t get hold of him anymore),” the alleged victim said. “We were just surprised when investigators contacted us and informed us of his arrest.”

The same victim said five more of her friends fell prey to the scam, with some of them paying Valorozo as much as $8,000.

“I’m relieved and happy that, hopefully, he won’t be able to fool or victimized people,” she said. “Justice will be sweeter if my parents and I can get our money back. That’s $6,000 — from our sweat, blood and tears to fulfill the American Dream.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office could not say if the victims could still recover their money, or how it will affect their chances of being legalized in the country.

Ordinary people were not the only victims of Valorozo. In fact, investigators were surprised to find the fake lawyer listed (along with his photo) in the New York Daily News as among immigration experts that readers can call in the hugely popular Citizen Now hotline, a partnership of the Daily News and the City University of New York.

“It is a widespread problem,” says New York immigration lawyer Alejandro Filippa. “People posing as immigration lawyers or ‘counselors’ are a rampant problem. Often, they call themselves ‘notarios,’ which for Latin-Americans has a very different meaning than ‘notary’ does in English.”

“At least once a week, I come across people who have been cheated by people posing as immigration lawyers,” Filippa told the Reporter. “Many of the victims are afraid to report the problem because they are afraid of authorities discovering they are illegal immigrants.”

Filippa said fraudulent lawyers often go unreported due to the precarious situation immigrants face in the U.S. today.

“I would advise every person to ask their immigration attorney if they are members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association,” Filippa said. “Every lawyer practicing in the field should be a member. Further, they should ask if they have a website they can consult and even inquire where their diploma is.”

Valorozo is represented by public defender Joyce David.