BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A Jerome woman accused by a federal grand jury of cheating immigrants out of thousands of dollars has pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of mail fraud. Forty-year-old Celia Perez appeared in U.S. District Court in Boise Wednesday and was later released on condition she wear a monitoring device and hand over her passport.

Federal prosecutors are accusing Perez of cheating immigrants by pretending to be an immigration attorney who could help them file documents. She's accused in court documents of bilking two families in 2006 trying to earn visas or green cards out of more than $30,000.

The Idaho Statesman reports that Perez is not listed as an attorney in Idaho according to the Idaho State Bar. Federal attorneys also told the judge additional charges are being considered.

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