Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Wednesday, July 31, that a Queens woman has been charged with defrauding ten Bronxites of Caribbean descent out of $73,000 by promising to improve their immigration status.

 

In the context of the announcement, Clark said, “The defendant allegedly preyed upon vulnerable members of our undocumented community–men and women who were simply seeking to legally work and provide for their families. The defendant’s alleged exploitation turned their American dreams into a nightmare.”

 

Clark said the defendant, Windella Sanderson Wells, 54, of Hollis, Queens, was arraigned on Wednesday before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Raymond Bruce on a 44-count indictment charging first-degree scheme to defraud, second-degree grand larceny, third-degree grand larceny, third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, third-degree unlawful possession of personal information, practicing or appearing as attorney-at-law without being admitted and first-degree falsifying business records.

 

Meanwhile, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations New York (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said of the case, “As alleged, Windella Sanderson Wells posed as an attorney and targeted a growing number of Caribbean victims, whom she deceived into paying thousands of dollars for services that were never rendered as promised.”

 

He continued, “The defendant is accused of joining a growing population of criminals committing what has been dubbed a ‘dream scam.’ She allegedly preyed upon individuals who were seeking to legitimately undergo the immigration process, and in turn exploited their pursuits of the American dream. HSI New York’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force is unwavering in its dedication to protecting all New Yorkers, especially the most vulnerable.”

 

Officials said an arrest and search warrant were executed overnight at the home of Sanderson Wells by detective investigators from the Bronx District Attorney’s Office and Special Agents from HSI New York. They said $425,000 in cash along with thousands of client applications were seized during the raid.

 

Officials said that in February of 2023, HSI New York and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services referred the case to the Bronx District Attorney’s Financial Frauds Bureau. According to the investigation, the defendant allegedly targeted people from the Guyanese, Jamaican and Haitian communities.

 

They said that between Sept. 1, 2019, and May 1, 2023, Sanderson Wells allegedly posed as both a licensed attorney and an accredited immigration preparer, claiming she was experienced in assisting undocumented immigrants. They said she also promised her victims she would get their applications approved and directed them to sign the documents.

 

They said Sanderson Wells allegedly collected exorbitant fees varying in amount, and in one case, she allegedly demanded and received $22,000 in cash. They said she allegedly took a total of $73,000 from ten people, and all the applications she filed were rejected.

 

Officials from the Bronx DA’s office said anyone who believes that they have been victimized by Sanderson Wells is encouraged to contact the Bronx District Attorney’s Immigrant Affairs Unit on (718) 838-7201 or at bximmigrant@bronxda.nyc.gov.

 

The defendant was placed on supervised release and is due back in court on Nov. 1.

 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michelle Milanes, deputy chief with the Financial Frauds Bureau, Assistant District Attorney Robert Lindston of the Financial Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Herman Wun, chief of the Financial Frauds Bureau, under the overall supervision of Denise Kodjo, deputy chief of the Investigations Division and Wanda Perez-Maldonado, chief of the Investigations Division.

 

Clark thanked Trial Preparation Assistant Debra Abreu, Principal Accountant Investigator Julio Santiago, and Bronx DA Chief of Detective Investigators Frank Chiara and Deputy Chief Rackets Investigator Peter Holness, Detective Investigators: Lieutenant Vincent Cantarella, Supervising Investigator Sherece Perkiss, Senior Investigator Brendan Hammond, Senior Investigator Jairo Jativa, Investigator Nicholas Russo, Investigator Randy Scarpinato, Investigator Luisenrique Amaya and Investigator Anai Tamarez.

 

The district attorney also thanked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services agencies for their assistance with the investigation.

 

Wells is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.