Paolo Zampolli, a former modeling agent and longtime confidant of President Trump, leveraged his White House connections to seek ICE intervention in a personal custody dispute. Last June, Zampolli, now a presidential special envoy, learned his Brazilian ex-girlfriend, Amanda Ungaro, was arrested in Miami on fraud charges. He contacted ICE official David Venturella, explaining Ungaro was in the country illegally and requesting her detention to strengthen his case for custody of their teenage son.

Venturella promptly directed ICE agents to detain Ungaro before her bail release. Ungaro was deported, though her deportation might have occurred regardless. This incident underscores the second Trump administration's pattern of using government agencies for personal grievances, even by low-level envoys.

Zampolli, known for flaunting his proximity to the Trumps, faces scrutiny over his use of influence.