USCIS - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

04/20/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/20/2026 12:07

Belizean Woman Found Guilty of Naturalization Fraud

Belizean Woman Found Guilty of Naturalization Fraud

Release Date
04/20/2026

Orlando, Fla. - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services played a key role in the investigation that led to a federal jury finding Ana Zahia Gonzalez, 46, guilty of naturalization fraud. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced that Gonzalez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and denaturalization. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 13. Gonzalez was indicted on Nov. 19, 2025.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Gonzalez knowingly submitted a fraudulent divorce decree from Belize as part of her naturalization application. Gonzalez entered the United States on a visitor visa in 2006 and overstayed her authorized visit. Five years later, she married a U.S. citizen, who was unaware that she was still lawfully married to a Belizean man. In 2016, Gonzalez applied for naturalization and falsely claimed that her previous marriage in Belize had been legally dissolved before she remarried.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of USCIS. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca S. Bansal and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Flanigan.

To report suspected immigration benefit fraud or abuse to USCIS, please use the USCIS Tip Form.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on X, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.

USCIS - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published this content on April 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 20, 2026 at 18:07 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]