A 56-year-old San Juan man is in custody after a monthslong investigation revealed he defrauded several individuals seeking legal residency, according to the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators determined that Francisco Villanueva took more than $57,000 from victims by falsely claiming he knew a judge who could grant them legal residency in the United States in exchange for payment, the sheriff’s office stated.

Hidalgo County jail records show Villanueva was booked on seven theft charges on Sunday. He remains jailed on a bond of $350,000.

The sheriff’s office is urging anyone who believes they may have been a victim of this scam to report it by contacting them at 956-383-8114.

“The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office cautions residents not to engage or provide payment to anyone who is not legally authorized to process immigration or residency documents,” the news release stated.