NEW YORK, NY – Kofi Anankwaa, a convicted and disbarred Bronx immigration attorney, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for orchestrating a multi-million dollar fraud scheme that left thousands of immigrants in legal limbo.
Anankwaa falsely promised to help immigrants secure legal status but instead filed fraudulent applications under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which is meant to assist victims of domestic violence. His fraudulent filings accounted for 47% of all VAWA petitions nationwide.
The scheme was first exposed in Spring 2023 by an I-Team investigation. Ricardo Velasquez Jr., a victim, testified in court, recounting how Anankwaa’s deception led to his father’s deportation to Mexico. The attorney charged families $3,000 per person, amassing millions before authorities intervened.
Anankwaa pleaded guilty in September 2024. In addition to his prison sentence, he must forfeit over $13 million and pay $16 million in restitution to victims. However, how the funds will be distributed remains unclear.
Many of Anankwaa’s victims are still in legal jeopardy, though some, like Velasquez Sr., have been able to return to the U.S. Anankwaa declined to comment as he left federal court.
