Woman sentenced to 6 months in prison for visa fraud scheme

A woman was sentenced to prison Friday in connection to a visa fraud scheme.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said 36-year-old Yuridia Hernandez Linares was sentenced to six months in prison for conspiracy to commit visa fraud. After completing her sentence, she’ll be removed from the U.S. and taken to Mexico, the attorney’s office said.

Woman sentenced to probation in robbery scam to get U-visas for undocumented immigrants

According to court documents, between Aug. 20, 2019 and Sept. 30, 2019, Linares conspired with others and made false statements to fraudulently obtain U-Visas, which are nonimmigrant visas, for four people. Victims of certain crimes in the U.S. are eligible to apply for and receive a U-Visa, and those who obtain one may then apply for U.S. citizenship.

Police say Eden Prairie robberies did not occur, woman charged with theft by swindle

The attorney’s office said Linares devised and participated in a scheme where the four people each falsely reported they were victims of robberies committed in Eden Prairie. Linares told them to file a police report stating they were victims of a fabricated assault and to corroborate each other’s account of what happened. Linares used a box cutter to cut them before they filed their false reports and she collected a $2,000 fee from each for her help.