Former Moroccan Diplomat And Two Others Charged In White Plains Federal Court With Visa Fraud Conspiracy

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Todd J. Brown, Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (“DSS”), announced today that former Ambassador from the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations (the “Moroccan Mission”) ABDESLAM JAIDI (“JAIDI”), his now ex-wife, MARIA LUISA ESTRELLA JAIDI (“ESTRELLA”), and ESTRELLA’s brother, RAMON SINGSON ESTRELLA (“SINGSON”) were charged in White Plains federal court with conspiring to defraud the United States, to make materially false statements, to commit visa fraud, and to induce aliens to illegally enter, come to, and remain in the United States.  The charges stem from a scheme to bring domestic workers into the United States under fraudulently obtained diplomatic visas, only to then be exploited by JAIDI and ESTRELLA once they arrived.  On March 13, 2019, ESTRELLA was arrested on a complaint and presented in White Plains federal court.  Both JAIDI and SINGSON remain at large.  

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman stated:  “Today’s charges underscore that no one is above the law.  The conspiracy alleged to have occurred here was intentionally designed to circumvent important protections against exploitation for domestic workers brought to the United States.  We will not tolerate this type of fraud on the United States or the exploitation of domestic workers – no matter the title or position of the alleged offender.”

DSS Director Todd J. Brown said:  “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to prevent situations where vulnerable individuals are exploited for personal gain in schemes such as this.  Because of our global presence, DSS is well positioned to work with U.S. and foreign law enforcement to stop those who would criminally manipulate instruments of international travel, such as passports and visas, to abuse the legal immigration system.”

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed in White Plains federal court[1]:

From approximately 2006 through 2019, JAIDI, ESTRELLA, and SINGSON conspired to fraudulently procure visas for at least 10 foreign domestic workers (collectively, the “Domestic Workers”), who were from the Philippines and Morocco, among other countries.  At various times relevant to the Indictment, JAIDI was a diplomatic agent accredited to the Moroccan Mission with the rank of ambassador.  From approximately 1980 through approximately 2016, JAIDI and ESTRELLA were married. 

In order to fraudulently obtain visas for the Domestic Workers, JAIDI and ESTRELLA caused the Domestic Workers to submit visa applications containing false statements and to submit fraudulent employment contracts in support of those visa applications.  SINGSON – who resides in the Philippines – helped recruit several of the Domestic Workers in the Philippines to work for JAIDI and ESTRELLA in the United States and instructed the Domestic Workers to make false statements in their visa applications and to State Department officials.  

In particular, JAIDI, ESTRELLA, and SINGSON caused a number of the Domestic Workers to falsely state in their visa applications that they would be employed as administrative staff at the Moroccan Mission or at the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Morocco in Manhattan.  In addition, they caused some of the Domestic Workers to submit fraudulent employment contracts to the State Department in support of their visa applications.  The fraudulent employment contracts overstated the Domestic Workers’ salaries, understated their hours, and, in many cases, falsely guaranteed benefits, including, among others, sick leave, dental insurance, and medical insurance. 

Once the Domestic Workers arrived in the United States, JAIDI and ESTRELLA employed the workers as their personal drivers, domestic helpers, farmhands, and assistants at their residence in Bronxville, New York and their farm in Ancramdale, New York.  JAIDI and ESTRELLA paid the Domestic Workers less than the minimum salary required by law and regularly compelled them to work far in excess of 40 hours per week.  In addition, JAIDI and ESTRELLA generally denied the Domestic Workers the benefits set forth in their employment contracts, compelled the Domestic Workers to work seven days a week, and required the Domestic Workers to surrender their passports. 

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JAIDI, 82, of Rabat, Morocco, ESTRELLA, 60, of Scarsdale, New York, and SINGSON, 55, of Manila, Philippines, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, to make materially false statements, and to commit visa fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years, and one count of conspiracy to induce aliens to illegally enter, come to, and remain in the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the DSS Criminal Fraud Investigations Branch, the DSS Saint Albans Resident Office, the DSS New York Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division from the Albany District Office, the Yonkers Police Department, and the New York State Police.  In addition, Mr. Berman thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of New York, the Community Development Project at the Urban Justice Center, and the Human Trafficking Program at the Worker Justice Center of New York for their assistance in this investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Gillian Grossman, and James Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.