Canarsie Man Conned Immigrants With Green Card Promises, DA Says

CANARSIE, BROOKLYN — A Canarsie man conned immigrants out of thousands of dollars by taking their cash and promising them green cards, according to Brooklyn prosecutors.

James Archibald, 55, stands accused of charging three undocumented New Yorkers $8,520 to expedite work permit and green card applications with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services then running off with the cash, the Brooklyn District Attorney's office said.

"This defendant is accused of preying on some of the most vulnerable members of our society," said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

"I am committed to protecting all Brooklyn residents, regardless of their status, and caution everyone to be careful who they hire when seeking immigration services."

The Brooklyn man scammed the undocumented immigrants — who hailed from Jamaica and St. Kitts — through his self-owned business, the U.S. Caribbean and Asian Development Organization, from October 2016 to May 2018, prosecutors said.

Archibald allegedly took the cash, did nothing, then threatened to report his clients to federal immigration if they complained about him, said prosecutors.

Prosecutors began investigating in January 2019 after two of the three victims called the District Attorney’s Action Center, said prosecutors.

Archibald was charged with grand larceny, scheme to defraud and other related charges in Brooklyn Criminal Court Monday night and released without bail, said prosecutors.

He is expected to return to court on Aug. 8 and could face up to up to seven years in prison if convicted.

Anyone else who believes they have been defrauded by Archibald can call the Brooklyn District Attorney's Immigrant Affairs Helpline at (718) 250-3333.