Police: Duo Lied About Danbury Robbery to Fool Immigration System

Two local people have been accused of lying about an armed robbery in the Hat City in an alleged attempt to buck the system and score what's called U Nonimmigrant status, also referred to as a U Visa.

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According to the Danbury Police Department, 53-year-old Adriana Lima-Curvina and 41-year-old Andre Dos Santos, both of Naugatuck, filed a report with the DPD back in January of 2020, describing that they were victims of an armed robbery and subsequent assault at a local shopping plaza. After a lengthy investigation, police now say that the incident simply didn't happen, which has landed the two in hot water.

Immediately after filing the reportedly false report, police say Dos Santos and Lima-Curvina applied for U Nonimmigrant status (U Visa) as well as certain benefits that are offered to victims via the Office of Victim's Advocate, which would allow for support in the wake of injuries they claim they sustained as the result of the incident.

Detective Lieutenant Mark Williams of the Danbury PD defined the U nonimmigrant status (U visa) as a visa being "set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. If the U visa is approved, the applicant receives a four-year work permit. After the recipient has the U visa for three years, they can apply for lawful permanent residence."

While the investigation into the reported crime was going on, Danbury police say that surveillance footage of the area from that night, as well as multiple in-person interviews with the Naugatuck residents, led them to believe that the armed robbery never happened. Police allege that the reason Dos Santos and Lima-Curvina lied about the incident was to be able to receive the U nonimmigrant status.

With probable cause developed in October, Danbury police obtained an arrest warrant, and the accused were both arrested on November 17. They've each been charged with attempted larceny, falsely reporting an incident, false statement, and interfering with the duties of an officer. They are each being held on $50,000 bonds.