Haitian Scammers Face Consequences of Fraudulent Citizenship
Haitian scammers discovered the realities of citizenship, realizing that the U.S. government holds the power to grant or revoke it at will.
Joff Sten Roy Philossaint, a 35-year-old from Haiti, sought American citizenship in early 2020. While waiting for his application to be processed, he became involved in a sophisticated wire fraud and money laundering operation in Florida.
Philossaint and his accomplices submitted around 40 fraudulent applications on behalf of various companies, attempting to secure nearly $3.8 million from COVID-19 relief funds, as reported by the Department of Justice. These applications falsely represented the companies’ revenue, employee count, and expenses.
After the conspirators received their payouts, it’s alleged they paid out around 10% of the loan amounts, equating to about $549,000.
During interviews with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Philossaint falsely claimed he had never made any misrepresentations to obtain public benefits and had avoided serious crimes that led to arrests. This deceit was pivotal in his acquisition of U.S. citizenship.
In 2022, Philossaint was found guilty of wire fraud and money laundering, culminating in a conviction for unlawfully obtaining American citizenship by February 2023. Subsequently, he was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison in June 2023.
Out of five defendants related to this case, Philossaint was the only one to be imprisoned. His former fiancée, Marielle Trinch, a Florida attorney, was charged alongside him but was acquitted of all charges in 2024.
Recently, the Justice Department confirmed that Philossaint had lost his American citizenship as ordered by U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith, who was appointed by Donald Trump.
“American citizenship is one of our highest privileges, one that must be earned,” stated Jason Redding Quiñones, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. He emphasized that Philossaint “fraudulently navigated his way to citizenship, all while stealing millions from programs meant to support businesses during the pandemic.” He concluded that the court’s action serves as a reminder that lying to gain immigration benefits leads to losing them.
