The State Bar of California has taken serious measures against a Los Angeles non-attorney, Salve Esperanza, who allegedly had been scamming Filipino immigrants by promising them legal immigration services. Esperanza, operating as Prestige Network Resource Consulting, Inc., was not licensed to practice law in California, yet is accused of feigning legal expertise to exploit her clients financially. On November 21, her office was seized under court order, with a permanent order following on December 2, according to a release from the State Bar of California.
One Filipino couple, driven seeking the American dream, paid over $11,000 for Esperanza's services in 2019 on the false assurance that she had "assisted many Filipinos in securing their legal status." Following her erroneous instruction, the couple enrolled in a university and took up employment at a specific employer, but ultimately saw their case denied due to Esperanza's failure to submit essential documents. As reported by KTLA, “the client stated that he believed Esperanza’s actions were with the intent to exploit him and his wife as employees.”
Another pair of clients paid roughly $12,000 from 2019 to 2022 for similar services, which included a Green Card application tied to a job at the same employer Esperanza recommended. The State Bar's investigation uncovered that Esperanza systematically failed to follow through with the necessary immigration filings and told falsehoods regarding application statuses and document arrivals, as detailed by the State Bar of California. This couple's efforts to build a life in the U.S. were also dashed when their applications were denied.
During the raid, in an attempt to clean the remnants of broken trust, the State Bar seized 30 boxes containing client files, along with five computers from Esperanza's office. Clients seeking the return of personal files or anybody hoodwinked by the shadow of a legal advisor are urged to reach out to the State Bar at 213-765-1581. Those living in the shadow of victimization by such unauthorized practices can file a complaint through the State Bar's website, notably in multiple languages.
