Thread: 9 plead guilty in marriage fraud scheme

I.C.E. News Release

March 25, 2010

9 plead guilty in marriage fraud scheme

Individuals entered into sham marriages to gain citizenship

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Nine individuals who were arrested last December as part of Columbus-based marriage fraud scheme pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court. Two are awaiting trial.

Carter M. Stewart, U. S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Brian Moskowitz, special agent in charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Investigations in Ohio and Michigan, announced the pleas on March 25.

According to the investigation, Columbus-area residents Hasan Salohutdinov, Dmitry Pani, Sviatlana A. Piskunova and Laura Elizabeth Grace Scott recruited U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, primarily Eastern Europeans, to enter into sham marriages to evade immigration laws, starting in January 2007. The foreign nationals paid about $17,000 to marry U.S. citizens. The foreign nationals were allegedly promised legal residency in return for marrying citizens and the citizens were promised monetary compensation.

The investigation also revealed that defendants would counsel sham wedding partners regarding actions to take in order to lend the appearance of being a legitimate marriage, and assist non-citizens in preparing fraudulent documents to present to immigration officials.

Each count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and marriage fraud is punishable by up to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release. Foreign nationals also face deportation after any prison time served. A list of those charged is below:

Charged foreign nationals Name City Status

Hasan Salohutdinov
Columbus
Awaiting trial

Elbek Saidjanov
Philadelphia
Awaiting trial

Dmitri Pani
Columbus
Guilty Plea

Sviatlana Piskunova
Columbus
Guilty Plea

Laura Scott
Columbus
Guilty Plea

Courtnie Good
Columbus
Guilty Plea

Iskander Tairov
Columbus
Guilty Plea

Brent Woods
Columbus
Guilty Plea

LaDawna Tackett
Columbus
Guilty Plea

Djafar Sobirov
Columbus
Guilty Plea

Sobithon Mirzaev
New Orleans
Guilty Plea


Stewart commended the investigation by ICE agents, and the assistance of the ICE Office of Detention and Removal, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Columbus Police Department Franklin County Sheriffs Office and Reynoldsburg Police Department.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE comprises four integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 25, 2010
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1003/100325columbus.htm

Well, John Doe2...you beat me to the story, again. I was just going through ICE news releases a few hours ago looking for something like this.

I wonder what the bill to the taxpayers will be for apprehending and prosecuting these creeps?