Thread: Feds: Marriage Scam Busted in Raleigh

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?secti ... id=4396335

(07/24/06 -- RALEIGH) - An exclusive Eyewitness News Investigation is exposing what federal agents call an international marriage fraud ring operating in the Triangle.

It was a ticket to a new life in the United States for people from eastern Europe. Federal agents say they have dismantled the marriage scam headquartered in Raleigh's Ashton Hall townhouse complex.
Lesya Venher and Vasyl Hrubenyuk concocted the scheme, according to federal documents obtained by Eyewitness News. In 2004, they started recruiting American women and one man living in the Triangle.

They would travel to Ukraine in eastern Europe and enter into scam marriages with Ukrainians. The couples would apply for visas to enter the U.S. as a married couple.

Agents say Volodimir Grysyk is one of those men who made it into the U.S. He also was arrested during the raid at Ashton Hall.

Gary Clark lives behind the raided house. He says that he first told Raleigh police almost two years ago that something was not right there. "We also mentioned to them that, 'Gee, do you think that this is a gateway for people to get into the U.S?' and lo and behold, I guess in retrospect, we should have said something to somebody a long time ago," he said.

Court documents allege at least six people were recruited from Raleigh, Durham, and Fayetteville to travel to Ukraine. They would meet at the Raleigh townhouse and were offered $2,000 to marry a Ukrainian.

If they pulled off the scheme and made it back to the U.S. on a marriage visa, they would be paid an additional $4,500 for a total take of $6,500.

Tatiana Hrubenyuk was inside the house in Raleigh when agents arrested her parents.

"They, like, broke in the door at like 6:00 in the morning . . . take my mother and father," she told Eyewitness News.

Our federal sources tell us the investigation into the network of people connected to this case is continuing. This kind of marriage fraud scheme is a big concern to the federal government. Agents have long been worried terrorists could make it in to the U.S. this way.

There is a cafeteria chain in this area, J&S Cafeterias, that I suspect is hiring illegal aliens from eastern europe. There are always several employees working that appear to be Russian or Ukranian. There's no way for me to prove it, but I find it highly unlikely that there would be so many workers from the same region, working for the same business, unless it was an intentional act by the employer. They are always young and usually female. I have seen several of them walking along the roads, which tells me they probably don't have driver's licenses.

Originally Posted by WavTek

There is a cafeteria chain in this area, J&S Cafeterias, that I suspect is hiring illegal aliens from eastern europe. There are always several employees working that appear to be Russian or Ukranian. There's no way for me to prove it, but I find it highly unlikely that there would be so many workers from the same region, working for the same business, unless it was an intentional act by the employer. They are always young and usually female. I have seen several of them walking along the roads, which tells me they probably don't have driver's licenses.

I remember too hearing about illegal aliens from Eastern Europe and Russia and also a sizeable crowd of Irish in NYC. Still the majority come from Latin America namely Mexico at least in the State of NC.

I also live in NC and in the Triangle area. I see fast food chains including buffet style restaurants increasingly over the last five years hiring more and more Hispanics over other ethnicities. Why? I can tell by their name tags as well as the fact the they usually speak Spanish amongst themselves. I took Spanish in High School and College. A long time ago but still I can pick out many basic words and phrases when hearing Spanish spoken.