Illegal immigrant federally charged for faking ICE ‘kidnapping’

Published July 19, 2025 12:08pm ET



An illegal immigrant from Mexico has been accused by federal authorities of orchestrating a fake Immigration and Customs Enforcement “kidnapping,” allegedly to generate public sympathy and solicit donations.

Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, a 41-year-old Mexican national living in South Los Angeles, was federally charged with conspiracy and making false statements to federal officers, according to a Department of Justice press release issued Thursday.

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