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Alleged con woman may still be in Florida operating her business
Victims say she is still operating scam in Florida
Published On: Jan 27 2012 02:45:28 PM EST Updated On: Jan 30 2012 06:32:44 PM ESTAlleged con woman may still be in Fla.
Susan Hayles said when she saw Melissa Domato on a Local 6 report last month she knew instantly it was the same woman she had entrusted to help her adjust her immigration status.
Hayles, a Jamaican citizen, said she gave Domato $2,500 in payments for services which began in September.
Hayles' mother, Rosemary Gomez, took the money out of her retirement fund to try to help her daughter.
"She is getting rich off of other's people's money," said Gomez, in an interview with investigative reporter Mike Holfeld.
The women contacted Local 6 after seeing a story about how Domato had promised several British citizens that she would file paperwork to renew or update their visas.
After paying her thousands of dollars, they never got the hearings or appointments they needed to legally upgrade or renew their status. Many are now out of status and living here on expired visas and fear deportation.
They said Domato filed faulty paperwork to make it look like their applications were being processed so that they would keep paying her for services. But once the visa applications were denied, Domato would not return phone calls or refund their money.
Domato is apparently no stranger to this type of scheme. She is currently awaiting a fraud trial in Essex County New Jersey. She is accused of taking $25,000 in lieu of immigration consulting services. She was arrested in May and extradited to New Jersey, and as a condition of her bond she is not allowed to leave the state.
Susan Hayles said she met with Domato, who was using the last name Rosario, as recently as November.
The Essex County Prosector's Office said they are now in the process of filing a new warrant for Domato's arrest, based on the information that she may have violated her bond.
Several of the alleged victims filed complaints against Domato with the Orlando Police Department. Those complaints were handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
One of the alleged victims said she met with an ICE investigator this week and handed over all her documents on Domato.
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