Bronx Former Immigration Attorney Sentenced to 70 Months for Large-Scale VAWA Fraud
Former Bronx immigration attorney Kofi Amankwaa was sentenced Feb. 26, 2025, to 70 months for immigration fraud involving fraudulent Violence Against Women Act petitions.
By Scammers.com Staff · · 1 min read
Published Nov. 6, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.
Immigration benefits for abuse survivors are not a shortcut for people who were never abused. On Feb. 26, 2025, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced that former Bronx immigration attorney Kofi Amankwaa had been sentenced to 70 months in prison for immigration fraud tied to fraudulent Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) filings [1].
Status: Amankwaa pleaded guilty Sept. 17, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who imposed the sentence. His New York law license was suspended in November 2023 and he was later disbarred in August 2024, according to the release's description of the timeline [1].
How the scheme worked, according to court proceedings
According to the information and public court statements summarized by prosecutors [1]:
- From September 2016 through November 2023, Amankwaa and others at his direction had clients sign fraudulent Form I-360 VAWA petitions falsely claiming abuse by U.S. citizen children; he signed as attorney preparer under penalty of perjury.
- He used those filings to seek advance parole, then lawful permanent residence, often without asking whether abuse occurred.
- He typically charged $3,000 to $6,000 plus fees; many applications were denied for fraud.
The person sentenced
Kofi Amankwaa. Former Bronx immigration attorney. Pleaded guilty; sentenced to 70 months [1].
Case status (as of Nov. 6, 2026)
| Defendant | Court | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kofi Amankwaa | U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y. (Judge Katherine Polk Failla) | Pleaded guilty Sept. 17, 2024; sentenced Feb. 26, 2025 to 70 months | [1] |
Statuses can change, including through appeal.
Sources
- U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York, "Bronx Former Attorney Sentenced To 70 Months In Prison For Large-Scale Immigration Fraud," Feb. 26, 2025. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/bronx-former-attorney-sentenced-70-months-prison-large-scale-immigration-fraud
- #attorney fraud
- #immigration fraud
- #VAWA
- #Kofi Amankwaa
- #Bronx