A Cuban national was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in an international alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering conspiracy, according to a Sep. 5 announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida said, “Enforcing our nation’s immigration laws is essential to maintaining safe and secure borders. The conspirators in this case used sophisticated methods to violate those laws and engaged in an elaborate human smuggling scheme, for profit. The diligence demonstrated by our law enforcement partners in this case ensured that this defendant was brought to justice.”
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said, “Ventura-Castro was part of a complex conspiracy responsible for smuggling aliens into the United States on a massive scale. The defendant and others recruited aliens using social media, charged thousands of dollars to bring them into the country illegally, and helped them get immigration benefits to which they were not entitled.” Acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Tampa added that Ventura-Castro and associates “knowingly orchestrated a sophisticated scheme to recruit and smuggle thousands of Cuban nationals into the United States, and unlawfully obtained immigration benefits through fraudulent applications, deliberate misrepresentations, and illicit financial transactions.”
According to court documents, Erik Ventura-Castro conspired with others between January 2021 and June 2025 to operate an alien smuggling organization that encouraged thousands of Cuban nationals to enter the United States through fraudulent means such as false Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications and visa waivers. The group advertised its services via social media platforms targeting Cubans seeking entry into the United States by making false claims about European citizenship or submitting fabricated documents.
Ventura-Castro furthered the conspiracy by advertising travel routes from Cuba through third-party countries into the United States while assisting with fraudulent ESTA applications; he submitted over 40 electronic payments related to these applications. Fees charged ranged from $1,500 up to $40,000 per person for these services; some co-conspirators even chartered private planes as part of their operations. Ventura-Castro transmitted more than $97,000 abroad—including destinations such as the Cayman Islands, Colombia, and Mexico—to purchase flights facilitating illegal entry.
Twelve individuals were charged in a superseding indictment related to this conspiracy; several have pleaded guilty while others await trial or sentencing.
The investigation involved Joint Task Force Alpha—a partnership between Department of Justice components including Human Rights & Special Prosecutions Section—and various agencies within the Department of Homeland Security such as Homeland Security Investigations Tampa division.