A Mexican woman’s elaborate hoax claiming she was kidnapped by ICE agents unraveled spectacularly, exposing a scheme to exploit sympathy and wallets.
Fox News reported that Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, a 41-year-old unauthorized migrant in South Los Angeles, faces federal charges for allegedly faking her own abduction to scam donations.
She’s accused of conspiracy and lying to federal officers, with a potential 10-year prison sentence if convicted. Her tale of masked men and deportation threats captivated local media before collapsing under scrutiny.
Calderon’s federal parole expired in 2023, leaving her vulnerable to immigration enforcement. She allegedly concocted a kidnapping story to rally public support. The scheme, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) says, was designed for “pecuniary gain.”
On June 25, KTLA covered a news conference where Calderon’s family and attorney, Stephano Medina, claimed she was snatched by uniformed men in unmarked cars.
Medina spun a dramatic yarn about bounty hunters cornering her in a Jack in the Box parking lot. His story of an ICE staffer demanding self-deportation papers was pure fiction, but it stirred public outrage.
Medina’s claims of a warehouse detention where Calderon was held for refusing to sign deportation papers were compelling but baseless.
Such theatrics play into progressive narratives demonizing immigration enforcement, yet they crumbled when HSI found no record of her in DHS custody. The attorney’s tale was a masterclass in exploiting anti-ICE sentiment.
Calderon’s daughter amplified the hoax by filing a missing person report with the Los Angeles Police Department. She also launched a GoFundMe page, seeking $4,500 to aid her “kidnapped” mother. The fundraiser’s swift removal and refund of its meager $80 haul showed even crowdfunding platforms smelled a rat.
HSI launched an investigation, initially concerned for Calderon’s safety. They quickly uncovered inconsistencies, like phone calls supposedly from borrowed devices tracing back to Calderon’s own cell phone, masked to appear anonymous. Surveillance footage from the Jack in the Box lot showed her calmly entering a silver Nissan sedan, hardly the behavior of a kidnapping victim.
Despite a marked LAPD car nearby, Calderon made no attempt to signal for help. Her claims of distress were further debunked by photos, likely staged, designed to mimic mistreatment in custody. These fabrications fed a narrative that immigration enforcement is inherently cruel, a trope too often swallowed whole by the woke crowd.
HSI tracked Calderon to a Bakersfield shopping plaza on July 5, finding her safe and sound. A surveillance photo from 4:40 p.m. that day showed her casually strolling, not cowering in some shadowy warehouse. Her continued insistence on being held by masked men only deepened the hole she dug.
A GoFundMe spokesperson stated, “GoFundMe has zero tolerance for misuse of our platform.” The fundraiser’s quick shutdown ensured no funds reached Calderon’s family, protecting donors from the scam. This swift action contrasts with the family’s attempt to profit from a manufactured crisis.
“This fundraiser was removed, and the $80 raised was refunded,” the spokesperson added. Such clarity from GoFundMe underscores the platform’s commitment to integrity, unlike Calderon’s attempt to exploit public generosity. Her scheme preyed on emotions stoked by anti-enforcement rhetoric.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli remarked, “Providing cool heads and professionalism during these difficult times.” His office’s diligence exposed the hoax, saving resources and refocusing attention on real threats. Essayli’s measured response highlights the need for facts over feelings in immigration debates.
Essayli also warned, “Dangerous rhetoric that ICE agents are ‘kidnapping’ unauthorized migrants is being recklessly peddled.”
This hoax lent fuel to those eager to vilify federal agents, undermining their work to secure borders. Calderon’s stunt shows how far some will go to push a divisive agenda.
HSI’s Eddy Wang noted, “My office invested valuable time and resources working this alleged kidnapping investigation.” The discovery of the hoax was a slap to agents who genuinely feared for Calderon’s safety. Wasting federal resources on a fabricated crisis is a disservice to all.
