From time to time scams like the one reported from New York happen. We expect more to surface in the coming years. In this case, Hundreds of immigrants were left angry and confused when the man they thought was their legal counsel, Victor M. Espinal, was arrested for allegedly posing as an immigration attorney.
Nearly 125 of Mr. Espinal’s clients poured into the lobby of the New York City Bar Association on Monday evening to attend a free clinic where 54 attorneys volunteered to help them sort through their legal and immigration options.
My friend and fellow attorney Jason Abrams of Abrams & Abrams said the “real reason” immigrants frequently fall prey to fraud is because of the confusion engendered by the term “notario.” In many of their home countries, unlike the United States, a “notario” or “notario publico,” is a licensed attorney, and some notarios take advantage of this confusion.
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