Maria de Lourdes Van-Caneghem, a 50-year-old Miami woman, finds herself facing a slew of additional fraud charges after a string of deceptive actions were unearthed, including instances where she impersonated an immigration attorney, and in a more insidious twist, a corrupt immigration officer. As reported by Local 10 News, Van-Caneghem was initially arrested in September 2025, following a detailed investigation by the Miami Police Department’s Financial Crimes Detail.
The Miami Police Department's press release, as obtained by Local 10 News, details an unsettling incident that commenced on July 25, 2025. A victim, ensnared in the throes of desperation after her husband was detained by immigration authorities, was allegedly defrauded by Van-Caneghem. The accused posed as an immigration attorney, a claim endorsed by a relative of the victim, and proceeded to collect $1,440 via two money orders purportedly for legal services. The victim's relentless requests for proof of payment remained unanswered, leading to a search that uncovered Van-Caneghem's dark and extensive history of fraudulent activities.
Further compounding her legal woes, NBC Miami reports that Van-Caneghem's new charges include third-degree grand theft and an organized scheme to defraud, adding to past accusations of her posing as a corrupt immigration officer to exploit migrants in Miami-Dade County. Notably grim is the episode from 2022 wherein Van-Caneghem was accused of filching approximately $119,000 from customers of Hello Cuba Travel, leaving hopeful travelers with nothing but non-existent airline tickets and shattered plans.
As Van-Caneghem awaits further proceedings at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, with her bond still to be determined, Miami authorities are keen to hear from individuals who might have fallen victim to similar scams. The cumulative record of over a dozen fraud cases since 2019 that she has been charged with paints a nefarious picture of a habitual offender unabashed by repercussions, evident from her pronouncement to probation from Feb. 14, 2024, to Feb. 14, 2034. People who believe they may have been targeted by such fraud schemes are emphatically urged by MPD officials to reach out to law enforcement.
