Bronx legal office under fire for deceptive immigration services

Attorney General Letitia James announced a lawsuit on Monday against Bronx immigration lawyer Kofi Amankwaa and his colleagues for allegedly orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that preyed on hundreds of immigrants. 

The lawsuit alleges that from 2018 to 2023, Amankwaa, along with Sylvester Boateng, Nana Adoma Kontoh, Betty Smith, and Kofi Amankwaa, Jr., deceitfully charged immigrants thousands of dollars for services that ultimately led to deportations and green card denials.

The group is accused of filing false petitions under the Violence Against Women Act, falsely claiming their clients’ children were abusing them, without the clients’ knowledge. This illegal action resulted in severe consequences, including deportations and denial of lawful permanent residency applications. 

The New York Attorney General’s Office is now seeking immediate cessation of these illegal activities, restitution for affected individuals and civil penalties.

Parallel to this civil action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has filed criminal charges against Amankwaa and Kofi Amankwaa Jr.

“People who immigrate to America are often vulnerable and simply trying to build better lives for themselves and their loved ones,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “When these immigrants sought help from attorneys claiming to act in their best interests, they were taken advantage of and harmed instead. This cruel and illegal scheme led to them being separated from their families and deported.”

The investigation uncovered multiple instances of misconduct. In one case, Ricardo Velazquez, a Bronx father, was deported after being misled by Amankwaa to leave the U.S. and then re-enter. Another client was instructed to falsely claim abuse by her daughter, which led to the denial of her residency…