Nipomo woman allegedly forged fraudulent documents for immigrants

February 28, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

Investigators arrested a 54-year-old Nipomo woman on Wednesday who alleging forged hundreds of fraudulent documents to help immigrants meet requirements for green cards or to adjust their immigration status, the Justice Department announced today.

Federal prosecutors charged Chantelle Lavergne Woods with fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. She faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

From Feb. 2021 to April 2024, Woods, while operating an Arroyo Grande medical clinic, allegedly created hundreds of fraudulent documents pertaining to medical examinations and vaccination requirements for individuals seeking to register for a lawful permanent resident card – commonly known as a “green card” – or otherwise adjust their immigration status.

In May 2022, an undercover officer involved in the investigation received a text message from Woods in which an attached flyer stated, “Our fee is $300 to complete the I-693 physical which includes two visits with us. Laboratory cost is $150 which includes Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and TB QuantiFERON Gold Blood tests.”

On a website she advertised her business as a “medical weight loss and immigration services” clinic that helped applicants with immigration physicals. One of the doctors listed on that website as an “M.D. Board Certified Neurologist and Designated Civil Surgeon” was in fact, according to the California Medical Board website, a pediatrician, not a neurologist.

She allegedly forged several doctors’ signatures – including one doctor who died before Woods prepared the fraudulent immigration forms.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services requires a medical examination and vaccination record to determine an applicant’s legal status. Federal law requires licensed physicians – or “civil surgeons” – to perform these examinations.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elia Herrera of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section and Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.

Following her arrest on Wednesday, Woods was released on $10,000 bond. Her arraignment is scheduled for March 25.

“The fraudulent conduct described in the criminal complaint undermined the integrity of our nation’s immigration system,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “We commend our law enforcement partners for putting a stop to it.”