Latest news with #AlfredoEstrada
Miami Herald
08-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Immigration attorney made unwanted advances to client seeking visa, IN suit says
An immigration attorney helping a father and daughter obtain work visas attempted to pursue an unwelcome, romantic relationship with the daughter after years of working together, an Indiana lawsuit said. The woman, who had been a client of immigration attorney Alfredo Estrada, is now suing the Lake County attorney and his firm Burke, Costanza & Carberry for an unspecified amount of damages, according to a complaint filed May 2. McClatchy News reached out to Estrada and the law firm May 8 but did not immediately receive a response. Estrada was retained in 2018 by the woman's father who was looking to obtain a visa, the lawsuit said. At the time, the woman was 15-years-old but was involved in the process because her father was not fluent in English. Once she turned 18, the lawsuit said the woman became her family's primary contact with the attorney for matters concerning her dad, siblings and eventually herself. Over time, Estrada began to ask the woman more personal questions such as if she was dating anyone, the lawsuit said. The romantic advances became more poignant in 2023 when the lawsuit said the attorney offered his client 'under the table' employment as she struggled to obtain a work visa. As he discussed her potential employment, he also asked to have a meal with her, according to the complaint. Though she declined, the lawsuit said the attorney persisted. 'My wife doesn't mind, as long as I don't bring it home,' he told the woman, who was reliant on him for immigration help, in 2023, according to the lawsuit. Estrada moved to keep up with the woman's life on TikTok and Instagram so he could track her whereabouts, the lawsuit said. 'I want to have a relationship,' the attorney said during a phone call to the woman. 'I want to be your sugar daddy, I wouldn't mind being that.' Shortly after that advance, the lawsuit said the attorney left a message for the woman saying she and her father had obtained work authorizations. Later that year, the woman fired the attorney and started to work with another immigration attorney, the lawsuit said. She reported the unwanted advances from Estrada to her new attorney, who took the case to the United States Attorney and Homeland Security Special Investigations, the lawsuit said. While investigators told the woman they didn't believe Estrada's actions were attempted human trafficking, they called the woman's account 'wholly credible,' the lawsuit said. By rejecting the attorney's advances as he worked with her family, the stress led the woman to experience severe depression and anxiety, among other mental health conditions that required medical attention, the lawsuit said. Lake County is in Northwest Indiana and is about a 40-mile drive southeast from Chicago.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
Woman sues immigration lawyer, saying he tried to start relationship
A woman who alleged a high-profile Merrillville immigration lawyer tried to start a sexual relationship sued him Friday, records show. The civil lawsuit — in Lake Superior Court in Crown Point, Ind. — names Alfredo Estrada and his law firm, Burke Costanza & Carberry. Estrada was not immediately available for comment. The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages and to cover her legal bills, according to the complaint filed Monday. Most of the allegations came to light earlier in his state disciplinary case filed in March. The woman, then 15, first met Estrada in July 2018 as her father was applying for a U-Visa, which gives crime victims a path to apply for permanent residency after three years if they cooperate with police. The girl translated for her father. In 2021, she retained Estrada as she tried to see if she qualified for the DACA — or 'dreamers' — program, which allowed people brought as children to the U.S. to get legal safeguards. Months later, Estrada told her she didn't qualify — leaving her stuck and unable to legally work. He started asking 'intrusive and personal' questions, including if she had a boyfriend. In 2022, after she returned a call for her father, Estrada told her to go to his office on his behalf. During the meeting, she attended with another relative, he offered to pay her 'under the table' as a translator. In January 2023, he invited her out to eat. 'If I remember correctly, you are married,' she responded two days later. She declined all his job offers, including one to travel with him as a translator. The woman felt if she cut him off, it would 'endanger' her family's immigration case. She told Estrada she was uncomfortable with his offers. 'My wife doesn't mind as long as I don't bring it home,' he responded. Later, he offered her work to clean his office or home, which she rejected. Estrada gave her money that was unrelated to the immigration case. He viewed her social media, sending back screenshots of her TikTok account. 'I thought you were shy? Lol,' he wrote. After she posted about going to a concert in May 2023 on Instagram, he called her. By then, she downloaded a call recording app. 'I wanna get together. I wanna skip the games, if you know what I mean…I'll take care of you. You take care of me,' he said. What do you want from me, she asked. 'Everything…I wanna (have sex), you're fine …I want to have a relationship,' Estrada responded. No, she said. 'I wanna be your sugar daddy,' he said. 'I wouldn't mind being that.' Shortly after, he left a voicemail, saying he got work authorization for her and her father. Estrada continued to send messages in May 2023, saying he would get her 'a job in Gary at a taco joint' or as a translator in his law firm. The woman didn't respond. She told a relative, who told his own immigration lawyer. She fired Estrada in June 2023. Later, she and the other lawyer met with a U.S. Attorney and U.S. Homeland Security Special Investigations to see if she qualified for a T-visa, for sex trafficking victims. While the prosecutor said she probably didn't qualify for that visa and likely couldn't charge it as sex trafficking, they found her account 'wholly credible.' The woman had a profoundly 'unstable legal and financial situation' and Estrada 'deliberately took advantage' of it, the lawsuit alleges. Estrada knew another relative had been attacked in their home county and they were vulnerable and fearful. His behavior was 'outrageous,' the lawsuit alleged. She is represented by high-profile lawyer Walter Alvarez. mcolias@
Chicago Tribune
06-05-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Woman sues immigration lawyer, saying he tried to start relationship
A woman who alleged a high-profile Merrillville immigration lawyer tried to start a sexual relationship sued him Friday, records show. The civil lawsuit — in Lake Superior Court in Crown Point, Ind. — names Alfredo Estrada and his law firm, Burke Costanza & Carberry. Estrada was not immediately available for comment. The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages and to cover her legal bills, according to the complaint filed Monday. Most of the allegations came to light earlier in his state disciplinary case filed in March. The woman, then 15, first met Estrada in July 2018 as her father was applying for a U-Visa, which gives crime victims a path to apply for permanent residency after three years if they cooperate with police. The girl translated for her father. In 2021, she retained Estrada as she tried to see if she qualified for the DACA — or 'dreamers' — program, which allowed people brought as children to the U.S. to get legal safeguards. Months later, Estrada told her she didn't qualify — leaving her stuck and unable to legally work. He started asking 'intrusive and personal' questions, including if she had a boyfriend. In 2022, after she returned a call for her father, Estrada told her to go to his office on his behalf. During the meeting, she attended with another relative, he offered to pay her 'under the table' as a translator. In January 2023, he invited her out to eat. 'If I remember correctly, you are married,' she responded two days later. She declined all his job offers, including one to travel with him as a translator. The woman felt if she cut him off, it would 'endanger' her family's immigration case. She told Estrada she was uncomfortable with his offers. 'My wife doesn't mind as long as I don't bring it home,' he responded. Later, he offered her work to clean his office or home, which she rejected. Estrada gave her money that was unrelated to the immigration case. He viewed her social media, sending back screenshots of her TikTok account. 'I thought you were shy? Lol,' he wrote. After she posted about going to a concert in May 2023 on Instagram, he called her. By then, she downloaded a call recording app. 'I wanna get together. I wanna skip the games, if you know what I mean…I'll take care of you. You take care of me,' he said. What do you want from me, she asked. 'Everything…I wanna (have sex), you're fine …I want to have a relationship,' Estrada responded. No, she said. 'I wanna be your sugar daddy,' he said. 'I wouldn't mind being that.' Shortly after, he left a voicemail, saying he got work authorization for her and her father. Estrada continued to send messages in May 2023, saying he would get her 'a job in Gary at a taco joint' or as a translator in his law firm. The woman didn't respond. She told a relative, who told his own immigration lawyer. She fired Estrada in June 2023. Later, she and the other lawyer met with a U.S. Attorney and U.S. Homeland Security Special Investigations to see if she qualified for a T-visa, for sex trafficking victims. While the prosecutor said she probably didn't qualify for that visa and likely couldn't charge it as sex trafficking, they found her account 'wholly credible.' The woman had a profoundly 'unstable legal and financial situation' and Estrada 'deliberately took advantage' of it, the lawsuit alleges. Estrada knew another relative had been attacked in their home county and they were vulnerable and fearful. His behavior was 'outrageous,' the lawsuit alleged. She is represented by high-profile lawyer Walter Alvarez.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Merrillville attorney accused of trying to start sexual relationship with client
Merrillville attorney Alfredo Estrada could face state disciplinary action due to a complaint filed by a former client who alleges that he tried to pursue a sexual relationship with her. Estrada, who represents immigration clients at the Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP firm and serves as Griffith's town attorney, is charged with violating multiple professional conduct rules by trying to coerce the girl to have sex with him and providing her money unrelated to covering litigation costs. In a verified complaint filed on March 25, the Disciplinary Commission said Estrada met the girl, who was under 18 at the time, in 2018 when her father was attempting to obtain a U-Visa, which provides victims of certain crimes a non-immigrant visa if they cooperate with law enforcement. U-Visa recipients can apply for permanent residence status after three years, and Estrada filed a petition for a U-Visa for the man and his daughter in February 2019. The girl accompanied her father to appointments and became the family's primary contact with Estrada, the complaint stated. The girl signed an agreement with Estrada to pursue relief under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in March 2021, but in May of that year, Estrada's office determined she was not eligible due to her arrival date. The complaint stated that Estrada and the girl communicated on a variety of issues, including work authorizations, updates on the pending U-Visa, employment issues, the possibility of her brother sponsoring them, paperwork, and documents from the IRS between December 2020 and Estrada's termination in mid-2023. The tenor of his messages to the girl changed in January 2023, when Estrada called and texted the girl to discuss employment options and asked her to meet him for a meal. She responded two days later that she didn't want to because Estrada is married, the complaint stated. He offered her opportunities to do translation work for him over the phone and in Union City, Indiana, but she declined to travel to Union City with him. Between January and May of 2023, Estrada and the girl communicated multiple times about finding her employment, including possibly cleaning his home, records state. He also offered to intervene with her former employer to get payment for the hours she worked. On May 4, 2023, she recorded a phone conversation with Estrada, where he said he wanted to get together with her and 'skip the games.' He said he would take care of her, and she would take care of him, the complaint stated. She asked what Estrada wanted from her and he responded that he wanted everything, including to have sex with her and become her sugar daddy. After the conversation, Estrada left her a message about work authorizations, records state. He said he provided her with various amounts of money to use for such things as concerts, restaurants and nail care. The girl met with a new attorney on June 26, 2023, and Estrada was terminated as her attorney. A hearing officer, attorney Clayton Miller, was named April 1 to hear the matter before any discipline, like a suspension, is handed down by the Indiana Supreme Court.
