RI Immigration Attorney Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Tax Evasion

Operating between 2019 and 2023, Molina-Flynn collected legal and filing fees while failing to execute the promised immigration work. Prosecutors state he provided victims with false updates regarding their legal cases, netting approximately $98,000 through the scheme. The funds were subsequently channeled into personal expenses and maintaining his law practice.

Financial Evasion and Restitution Mandates

Beyond the client fraud, Molina-Flynn admitted to deliberately evading federal tax obligations. He failed to file a federal income tax return for 2021 and actively concealed income and payroll tax liabilities by routing personal expenses directly through his law firm operating account. Under the terms of his plea agreement, the defendant must remit $83,265 in restitution to the direct victims of the wire fraud.

Federal prosecutors intend to recommend at the December 17 sentencing hearing that the total tax loss attributable to the tax evasion scheme falls between $550,000 and $1.5 million. Molina-Flynn is required to file accurate delinquent returns for tax years 2019 through 2023, covering outstanding taxes, penalties, and interest owed to the U.S. Treasury.

Legal Exposures and Multijurisdictional Investigation

The guilty plea carries a statutory maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison, alongside potential financial penalties and periods of supervised release. The complex investigation required coordinated efforts across multiple federal and local agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Providence Police Department, and the FBI.

Sentencing is formally scheduled for December 17 in federal court, where the final restitution orders and prison terms will be determined.