E. Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
A woman from San Luis Obispo County has been arrested following allegations of creating fraudulent immigration documents, according to the Justice Department. Chantelle Lavergne Woods, 54, of Nipomo, is accused of misusing physicians' credentials to produce false medical documents for immigrants seeking green cards or adjusting their immigration status.
Woods faces charges of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. This felony could result in a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. She was taken into custody on Wednesday and appeared in United States District Court on Thursday. A federal magistrate judge released her on a $10,000 bond with an arraignment scheduled for March 25.
Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally stated, "The fraudulent conduct described in the criminal complaint undermined the integrity of our nation’s immigration system." He also commended law enforcement partners for halting the alleged activities.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) mandates that immigrants submit a medical examination and vaccination record conducted by licensed physicians or "civil surgeons" as part of their application process for legal status.
An affidavit filed with the complaint claims that between February 2021 and April 2024, Woods operated a clinic in Arroyo Grande where she allegedly created hundreds of fake documents related to medical examinations required for lawful permanent resident card applications. Her website reportedly advertised services related to medical weight loss and immigration physicals but falsely represented doctors' qualifications.
Among other allegations, Woods is said to have forged signatures from several doctors, including one who had passed away before she prepared the fraudulent forms.
It is important to note that a complaint contains allegations that must be proven beyond reasonable doubt in court; thus every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Ventura Resident Office Tactical Diversion Squad alongside USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security units. The case is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elia Herrera and Mark Aveis.
