Brazilian National Who Sold Fake ‘Immunity’ Cards From Fictitious Federal Agency Ordered Deported

A Brazilian national who admitted to inventing a fake federal agency and selling bogus DHS and FBI “immunity” cards has been ordered deported, the Department of Homeland Security said.

Mario Cesar Dos Santos, Jr., 50, entered the United States in 2016 and overstayed his visa. He was arrested in February at Orlando International Airport after arriving on a flight from Boston and is now in removal proceedings, according to DHS.

Dos Santos has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and the fraudulent use of government seals.

Authorities say Dos Santos presented himself as president of the “Chaplain Emergency Management Agency,” or CEMA — a fictitious federal agency he created to convince attendees at training seminars that they could buy protection from immigration enforcement.

The training sessions themselves were free, but participants were charged between $400 and $450 for certificates they were led to believe would shield them from deportation, authorities said. Each seminar reportedly drew 30 to 45 people.

Beyond the certificates, Dos Santos sold clothing, badges, stickers and other merchandise bearing altered seals of DHS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, authorities said. A confidential informant purchased several of these items at a seminar last year.

Investigators said CEMA’s website, social media accounts and a group chat — which had grown to more than 750 members by the time the investigation opened in August 2025 — actively advertised upcoming courses and displayed a doctored DHS seal. The organization also falsely claimed accreditation from the International Association for Continuing Education and the American Council on Education.

Dos Santos faces up to 20 years in federal prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 18.

The case comes amid a broader federal push against fraud targeting immigrants and government programs. DHS said FEMA alone investigated more than 2,000 fraud cases in fiscal year 2025, part of an effort tied to the Trump administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, led by Vice President JD Vance.