'Not Love Stories': 11 Charged With Arranging Hundreds Of Sham Marriages To Get Around Immigration Laws
BOSTON (CBS) -- U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins announced charges on Thursday in connection with a Los Angeles-based agency that is accused of arranging "sham marriages" for more than 400 foreign nationals since 2016 to get around immigration laws.
Rollins said the undocumented immigrants were willing to pay between $20,000 and $30,000 in cash for the agency to arrange marriage with American citizens who accepted "illegal and fraudulent payments to marry them."
"These weddings were not love stories," Rollins said. "This isn't the movie 'The Proposal' with Sandra Bullock or Ryan Reynolds."
Eleven residents of California have been indicted on conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration document fraud in the case, which involved a foreign national from Massachusetts. Rollins said the agency would prepare clients and their "fake American spouses" for immigration interviews, including practice questions.
"Couples who met on one day married very shortly thereafter, sometimes the very next day," Rollins said.
FBI Boston Special Agent Joseph Bonavolonta described those charged as "sophisticated and cunning, going to great lengths to stage fake wedding ceremonies at chapels, parks and other locations where they hire online officiants to perform ceremonies and take photographic proof."
Prosecutors said the agency used monthly bribes to keep citizen spouses, who were sometimes homeless people, to stay motivated until the immigrants obtained green cards. If the citizen spouses got "cold feet," the agency would allegedly get their clients green cards under the Violence Against Women Act by claiming domestic abuse.
"Marriage fraud is a serious crime that threatens the integrity of our nation's lawful immigration system," Rollins said. "These defendants' alleged exploitation of this system for profit is an affront to our nation's tradition of welcoming immigrants and prospective citizens."
Per the U.S attorney's office, those facing charges are:
· Marcialito Biol Benitez, a/k/a "Mars," 48, a Philippine national residing in Los Angeles;
· Engilbert Ulan, a/k/a "Angel," 39, a Philippine national residing in Los Angeles;
· Nino Reyes Valmeo, 45, a Philippine national residing in Los Angeles;
· Harold Poquita, 30, a Philippine national residing in Los Angeles;
· Juanita Pacson, 45, a Philippine national residing in Los Angeles;
· Felipe Capindo David, a/k/a "Pilipi" or "Peebles," 49, a Philippine national residing in Los Angeles;
· Peterson Souza, 34, a Brazilian national residing in Anaheim, Calif.;
· Devon Hammer, 26, of Palmdale, Calif.;
· Tamia Duckett, 25, of Lancaster, Inglewood and Palmdale, Calif.;
· Karina Santos, 24, of Lancaster, Calif.; and
· Casey Loya, 33, of Lancaster and Palmdale, Calif.