Guilty plea in U-visa robbery scam

An Eden Prairie woman has pleaded guilty to one count of theft-by-swindle for her connection to multiple falsified armed robbery incidents, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday.

Yuridia Hernandez Linares, 36, pleaded guilty Monday to concocting a plan for undocumented individuals, where, for $2,000, she could get them U Visas by faking armed robberies.

According to the criminal complaint, Hernandez Linares would cut those individuals with a box cutter to make it appear there was an armed robbery, and then they would report the incident to police. U Visa applications are considered for victims who cooperate with police or prosecutors. Those visas provide temporary protection from deportation.

In her guilty plea, Hernandez Linares agreed with the facts of the criminal complaint filed in November.

Sentencing has been set for January 30 at 9:30 a.m. in front of Hennepin County District Judge Marta Chou. Hernandez Linares is currently in custody.