The Department of Justice (DOJ) has revoked the citizenship of a Cuban native after being found guilty of concealing and lying about their criminal record during their naturalization process.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida denaturalized Milagros Marileisis Acosta Torres.
According to the DOJ's press statement, Acosta Torres was part of a conspiracy to defraud a tribal casino in Florida alongside her husband and several others before applying for citizenship.
Acosta Torres' Fraud Scheme
Acosta Torres reportedly helped steal millions of dollars from the casino by creating false credit vouchers.
She later laundered the money to “disguise the fact that the proceeds were obtained through fraud and to avoid transaction reporting requirements imposed by federal and state law,” the DOJ stated.
Acosta Torres' Lie During Her Naturalization Process
Acosta Torres, who became a U.S. citizen in 2015, claimed in her citizenship application and interview that she had no prior criminal background.
The Cuban national was later convicted in 2020 for conspiracy to commit money laundering, serving six months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $150,000 in restitution.
Officials Warn Similar Offenders
“Securing denaturalization is the final step to strip citizenship from those who conceal crimes or defraud the American people,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This administration will continue its historic denaturalization campaign to protect the value of U.S. citizenship.”
“This case is a reminder that citizenship obtained through deception can—and will—be revoked,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones wrote on X.
DOJ's Denaturalization Effort
Acosta Torres' case is part of the U.S. government's largest-ever initiative to use its denaturalization powers.
On June 8, 2026, the DOJ announced its effort against “17 individuals accused of serious offenses — including sexual abuse of a minor, wire and bank fraud, and distributing drugs wholesale without a license.”
