Te-Hu Tsuei, aka “Peter” a self proclaimed New York State licensed immigration attorney and sometimes an experienced immigration law paralegal, has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of Grand Larceny, Scheme to Defraud, Unauthorized Practice of Law and violating various subsections of the Immigration Assistance Services Law.
Between November 2007 and May 2009, Tsuei allegedly defrauded two Chinese immigrants by falsely introducing himself as a licensed immigration attorney or an experienced immigration law paralegal and assuring them that they can qualify for a U-Visa when they are not.
The victims claimed that Tsuei charged them over $6,000 each for processing their applications. However, Tsuei was neither a New York State licensed attorney nor was he authorized by the Federal Board of Immigration Appeals to provide legal services. By May 2009, Tsuei’s “law office” in New York City was shut down and the victims were unable to reach him after losing $6000.
Tsuei’s case remains ongoing.
If convicted, Tsuei faces a maximum penalty of more than 12 years in prison.