I.C.E. News Release

July 1, 2009

71-year-old Fort Worth woman admits role as leader of visa fraud scheme

Defendant arranged marriages between foreign nationals and U.S. citizens for a fee

DALLAS - A 71-year-old grandmother pleaded guilty Wednesday, July 1, to conspiring to commit fraud in connection with immigration documents, announced Acting U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. The case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies.

Maria Refugia Camarillo, of Fort Worth, Texas, has been on a personal recognizance bond since her arrest in May 2008 on charges outlined in a 29-count indictment against and 15 additional defendants in a large-scale document fraud conspiracy. She is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis on September 23. She faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution. In addition, she is required to execute and provide a $35,000 lien on her home.

According to documents filed in court, Camarillo, and a number of individuals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, ran a fraudulent marriage scheme for foreign nationals who wanted to apply for lawful residency in the United States. The foreign nationals paid Camarillo to arrange a marriage between them and a U.S. citizen. Once married, the individuals could apply for U.S. permanent residence and later, U.S. citizenship. This scheme began in the 1980s and continued until May 2008.

Camarillo recruited many of her family members, including her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, into the conspiracy. Fifteen family members were indicted with Camarillo. The indictment was dismissed against one defendant, but the other family members have pleaded guilty to their role in the conspiracy. Most are awaiting sentencing. Camarillo paid the co-conspirators a portion of the money that she received either directly, or by paying bills or other obligations on their behalf. Camarillo admitted that three of her grandchildren were minors when they entered into the conspiracy and that they were under the age of 18 when they entered into their first sham marriages.

Foreign nationals paid as much as $12,000 for these arranged marriages. There was an organized deception by the defendants to make the fraudulent marriages appear legitimate. Camarillo even coached the couples on how to make the marriage appear legitimate, including advising them to take photographs together and open joint bank accounts. She even provided the couple a list of possible questions they might be asked at the immigration interview and advised them to practice answering the questions.

Couples filed their applications for permanent residence with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) using fraudulently obtained, legitimate documents which showed their marriages were valid. To further evade detection, Camarillo provided some defendants who were citizen spouses, fraudulent identities, including false names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. Camarillo admitted that about 13 fraudulent identities were used during the course of the conspiracy by various members of the conspiracy.

Camarillo also admitted that after the foreign national made initial contact with a member of the conspiracy, she would usually meet with the foreign national in her office behind her house in Fort Worth. During the meeting, or soon after, the foreign national paid Camarillo half of the arranged fee. Then, Camarillo selected a co-conspirator who was a citizen of the appropriate age and gender, to marry and petition for the alien. The selected spouse usually met the foreign national for the first time when they applied for a marriage license and again for the actual wedding ceremony, which was normally presided over by a Justice of the Peace.

This case is being investigated by ICE, CIS, the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General, the Health and Human Services Commission's Office of Inspector Genera, and the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Brown and Amy Mitchell, Northern District of Texas, are prosecuting this case.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

Last Modified: Thursday, July 2, 2009

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0907/090701dallas.htm