When María Guiterrez heard she could legalize her immigration status, she jumped on it. She spent $80,000 over ten years, but all the money and effort was just a scam.
Produced by Saul Gonzalez, edited by Anayansi Diaz-Cortes, and mixed by JC Swiatek.
KCRW'S Sonic Trace is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works, and by Cal Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities. Experience more at CALHUM.ORG.
Banner image: María Guitterez, originally from Oaxaca, Mexico and living in the United States illegally, was swindled out of $80,000 over ten years in an extended incident of immigration fraud. Photo: Saul Gonzalez