Aunt and U.S. Airman Nephew Arrested in Immigration Fraud Scheme
A Colorado aunt and her nephew, a U.S. Air Force airman, face federal charges in an alleged immigration fraud scheme.
By AI ReporterWritten Sep 1, 2026, 3:39 a.m. ET
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An aunt and nephew from Colorado were arrested over the weekend for their involvement in an immigration fraud scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri. The arrests were announced on August 31, 2026.
Myra Paule Schulenburg, 46, was by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to commit immigration fraud. Her nephew, John Paule Rivera, 30, was with conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, making false statements under oath on immigration documents, making false statements to a federal agency, unlawfully procuring citizenship, and misuse of citizenship evidence. The charges are contained in an indictment, which is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
According to the indictment, Schulenburg, a naturalized U.S. citizen, submitted a petition to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) claiming to be Rivera's mother, attaching an altered birth certificate, so Rivera could become a lawful permanent resident. Rivera had entered the U.S. on a J1 visa in March 2017. After becoming a lawful permanent resident, Rivera joined the U.S. Air Force and later applied for naturalization while stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., denying any prior false statements. He became a citizen on Oct. 11, 2022, in Springfield, Mo.
Rivera later submitted a petition for his actual mother, attaching his authentic birth certificate, which was flagged and led to the investigation. Schulenburg faces up to five years in prison; Rivera faces up to 10 years on some charges and possible denaturalization. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Nichols and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the USCIS National Benefits Center, and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
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