Leonard Lacayo is a controversial figure in San Francisco, boasting a variety of titles including tax notary, former CIA agent, and personal advisor to the White House. Despite his claims, one title he cannot lay claim to is that of a lawyer.
Lacayo has faced multiple legal challenges from City Attorney David Chiu, who has accused him of unlawfully charging money for legal advice to immigrants without the proper qualifications or licenses. The latest incident in this ongoing saga involved a court ruling last month that imposed a staggering $600,000 fine on Lacayo for continuing these activities, despite a 2017 injunction that explicitly prohibited him from doing so.
In an interview, Lacayo appeared unfazed by the allegations, comparing his actions to extending a helping hand to someone drowning. “If I see someone drowning in a pool, am I not supposed to reach out a hand to help?” he remarked, as he settled into his office located at 3330 Mission St., the backdrop of a muted Newsmax broadcast.
The office, situated in a transitional area of the Mission District, was previously adorned with signage advertising immigration and tax services. However, due to the pending allegations, these signs were taken down. Lacayo whimsically refers to his workspace as the “Ronald Reagan Building,” and the walls are cluttered with Trump memorabilia, including posters, bobbleheads, and even a T-shirt featuring Trump in a victorious pose. On a nearby shelf, a collection of Jesus figurines fills a glass cabinet, gifts from supportive friends concerned about the lawsuits.
Since aligning himself with President Donald Trump in 2016, Lacayo has alleged that the city’s pursuit of legal actions against him stems from political motives related to his support for the former president. He claims the Democratic Party in San Francisco is engaged in conspiracies, referring to their actions as “lies” and part of a “satanic” agenda to suppress him.
Despite his $600,000 legal penalty, Lacayo has no intention of paying it. “I’m just going to file for bankruptcy,” he boldly stated, acknowledging that he had only $1,200 in his bank account.
The city attorney’s office maintains that Lacayo has continued to provide unlawful legal services even after the injunction. Three former clients, including an undercover investigator, provided testimony indicating that Lacayo charged them for legal services related to immigration as recently as 2022.
Katherine Sican was one of the clients who sought Lacayo’s assistance in December 2022 after receiving a recommendation from a friend. Sican alleges that Lacayo reviewed her documents and referred her to a lawyer named Julio Ramos, a move that violates the prohibition on Lacayo recommending legal representation. Tragically, Sican was later deported.
Soledad Manrique reported that she was directed to Lacayo’s employee, immigration consultant Uriel Leon Rodriguez, who charged her $1,500 for assistance with her asylum application. Manrique was under the impression that both Rodriguez and Lacayo were licensed lawyers.
Angela Davis, an investigator for the city attorney’s office, stated she was quoted $5,000 for legal services related to her fiancé, but Lacayo did not provide her with the necessary disclosures indicating that he was not a licensed attorney.
The city attorney’s office claims that numerous individuals may have fallen victim to Lacayo and Associates’ immigration-related charges between 2022 and 2024. This is evidenced by the establishment’s business account, which was found to have paid for 21 immigration form fees following the injunction.
Despite the heavy scrutiny, Lacayo has maintained a surprisingly loyal customer base within the immigrant community. Many individuals continue to seek his advice, attributing their trust to personal connections rather than formal qualifications. San Francisco is facing a shortage of lawyers, particularly for immigrants navigating complex legal landscapes.
Lacayo also has connections with the local Republican Party and other conservative groups, who have used his office as a meeting venue in the past. Although Trump’s presidential campaign was supported by a considerable percentage of voters in the Outer Mission, the community remains politically diverse.
When asked if clients ever feel disconcerted by the overt Trump-themed decor, Lacayo claimed to have received just one complaint throughout the years.
A former client highlighted the paradox of Lacayo’s character: while he might be untrustworthy, he fills a vital gap in the community, addressing needs that local government agencies often overlook. “I am not saying that Lacayo is an honest man, by no stretch of my imagination,” the client said, acknowledging both the questionable ethics and the service he provides.
Despite the flood of legal challenges, Lacayo insists that his personal relationships with community members have remained stable over the years. Nevertheless, some individuals who have worked in the same building as Lacayo have testified against him in court.
During a recent interview with Mission Local, Lacayo proudly handed out flyers for a cultural festival he plans to attend in Newark, California, boasting that he would be the center of attention among thousands of attendees.
Lacayo expresses a complicated view on the current immigration climate, viewing deportations as a means to reduce crime in the city. He asserts that those being deported are largely criminals, a perspective that has been contested by statistics indicating that over 70 percent of individuals in ICE detention do not possess criminal records.
When confronted with questions about the potential deportation of someone within his community, Lacayo responded with apparent indifference: “Mistakes happen. I’d recommend getting a lawyer.”
In the midst of burgeoning legal troubles and a continuous stream of accusations, Leonard Lacayo remains a polarizing and complex figure in San Francisco’s immigrant community. While his unlicensed practices have drawn criticism, he continues to serve a clientele that feels abandoned by the formal legal system.
image source from：missionlocal
