Bayonne Woman Accused of Posing as IRS and Immigration Agent to Take $25,000 From Immigrants, Manhattan DA Says

BAYONNE — A 54-year-old Bayonne woman has been indicted in Manhattan on charges she stole $25,000 from four people who hired her to help them with the immigration process by posing as an IRS agent, an immigration agent and an immigration services provider, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. announced Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Edith Capellan is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with one count each of third-degree grand larceny, a class D felony; first-degree immigrant assistance services fraud, a class E felony; and first-degree scheme to defraud, a class E felony, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Between May 23, 2024, and June 5, 2026, Capellan stole more than $25,000 from immigrant New Yorkers who hired her, prosecutors allege. According to the DA’s office, she falsely claimed to be an IRS and immigration agent who could complete immigration paperwork, and victims paid her thousands of dollars in upfront fees after she falsely guaranteed results such as permanent residency and citizenship.

Prosecutors say Capellan then falsely claimed to have submitted applications or taken other steps for her clients, and when victims followed up, she refused to provide documents, receipt numbers or other evidence that would reveal the fraud. In one instance, she asked a victim to delete the messages they had exchanged, and in another she used one victim’s personal identifying information on another victim’s paperwork, the office said.

“As alleged, Edith Capellan donned a cloak of legitimacy by impersonating federal agents. She allegedly took advantage of immigrants in need of legal assistance obtaining work permits, permanent residency, and United States citizenship. We allege that she pocketed $25,000 from the very people she promised to help,” Bragg said.

The investigation is ongoing. The DA’s office asks anyone who may be a victim to call 212-335-3600, regardless of immigration status.

Assistant District Attorney Dennis Dillon of the Financial Frauds Bureau is handling the prosecution.

The charges are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.