Thread: Federal marriage-for-citizenship sting nets 83 Fla. arrests

Federal marriage-for-citizenship sting nets 83 Fla. arrests

By TRAVIS REED
The Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. — A federal sting of four companies accused of arranging fraudulent marriages for U.S. citizenships, complete with wedding photos of brides in gowns and elaborate fake cakes, has netted more than 80 arrests, authorities said Friday.

Immigrants, Americans and company officials were among the 83 arrested. The immigrants paid as much as $10,000, while the U.S. citizens were offered up to $2,500, U.S. Attorney Robert O’Neill said.

The couples were coached on how to pass immigration checks with fake answers, even though in some cases they didn’t speak the same language as their purported spouse, officials said. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials who review each citizenship-conferring marriage to ensure legitimacy tipped off federal agents in many cases.

At least one of the businesses kept a standing wedding showroom in its office, complete with a prop cake, an assortment of 10 to 15 wedding dresses and table settings never dirtied with dinner or drink.

“What we’ve seen in the past generally is that a person will meet someone, that person might be desperate for some money, willingly engage in a sham marriage and then they go their own ways,â€

I hope these scum bags get plenty of time is US prisons. I know there are several of us in ALI-PAC myself included that legitimately married someone they met in travels to another country. It's people like these scum bags that make it hard on those of us who did everything legally. After spending 5 years in the USCIS loop am personally glad to see that they system is catching those who are defrauding it. I hope a federal judge throws the book at them.

They were primarily from Central and South America, though at least one was from Morocco.

No surprise there. They have figured out better than other cultures how to game the US system. BAN EVERYONE FROM LATIN AMERICA!! I don't care who it is.

I hope these scum bags get plenty of time is US prisons

Yeah right. At $50,000 yearly a crook were going broke before you know it. Fly em all to the deepest Amazon jungle...

What people will do.....Poor America!