A Branford, New Haven, Conn. man is facing a long prison term after pleading guilty to bilking illegal immigrants out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Fifty-six-year-old Ralph Cucciniello has been accused of taking $560,000 from about 60 immigrants in Greater New Haven, as well as the Boston and New York area.
The judge Thursday told Cucciniello if he comes up with $300,000 to pay back his victims he might consider a shorter prison sentence.
Prosecutors say Cucciniello claimed to be a lawyer at a legal clinic at the Yale Law School and charged immigrants $5,000 each to file papers that he said would lead to a Green Card and permanent residence status in the U.S.
