Fatima DeMaria, 65, of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, has been indicted on charges of asylum fraud and mail fraud following an investigation into her business practices at Immigration Matters Legal Services in Oxford, Pa. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, DeMaria faces eight counts each of asylum fraud and mail fraud.
Authorities allege that DeMaria falsely presented herself as an immigration attorney to clients seeking employment authorization or “work permits,” despite not being licensed or accredited by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) to represent individuals in immigration matters.
From December 2021 through July 2024, investigators claim that DeMaria prepared fraudulent Form I-589 asylum applications for clients without their knowledge or consent. The indictment states she made false statements on these applications, asserting that applicants were seeking asylum based on political opinion or under the Torture Convention, even though her clients had not provided information making them eligible under those categories.
The indictment further alleges that DeMaria placed client signatures on the forms without informing them and did not disclose that she was filing frivolous asylum applications as a way to obtain work permits from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Clients were also allegedly not told that rejected applications could result in removal proceedings and jeopardize their future eligibility for immigration benefits.
According to prosecutors, DeMaria charged between $6,000 and $9,000 per individual and up to $15,000 per couple for these services. Payments were often made in cash or through peer-to-peer transactions deposited into her personal accounts. Authorities allege hundreds of thousands of dollars were withdrawn at casinos.
If convicted, DeMaria faces a maximum sentence of 240 years in prison and a fine up to $4 million. Prosecutors are also seeking forfeiture of at least $1 million alleged to be proceeds from the scheme.
Investigators continue to seek additional victims who may have used DeMaria’s services. Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact the FBI via its online forms:
Seeking Victim Information in Fatima DeMaria/Immigration Matters Investigation
Se Solicita Información en la Investigación de Fatima DeMaria/Immigration Matters
The case is being investigated by multiple agencies including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; USCIS and other federal agencies assisted. Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Solow and Eileen Castilla Geiger are prosecuting.
“The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court,” according to the statement from prosecutors.
