Thread: IL: 10 indicted in 'sham marriage' immigration scam

10 indicted in 'sham marriage' immigration scam

November 23, 2009 1:22 PM

Ten people with Chicago connections have been indicted on federal charges of running a marriage fraud scheme that paid American citizens thousands of dollars to marry immigrants in an effort to skirt immigration laws, the U.S. attorney's office said today.

Federal authorities allege Maria Cruz, 49, and her co-defendants arranged up to 15 "sham marriages" in which non-U.S. citizens -- many of them Filipinos -- offered to pay Cruz $3,000 to arrange marriages with American citizens.

According to an indictment unsealed today, Cruz paid a fee for referrals to U.S. citizens willing to enter into the fake marriages. She allegedly promised them they would be paid about $3,000 up front for the marriage and $300 to $350 for each month until the non-citizen got citizenship.

The indictment alleges that between 2003 and 2009 Cruz would drive people to their purported weddings and take pictures before and after to make it appear that real ceremonies had taken place. She would also advise participants in the scam on how to make their marriages seem real to immigration officials, federal authorities allege.

Cruz, a former Cook County traffic court employee, was arrested in August in California. In addition to the 15 false marriages described in the indictment, Cruz allegedly tried to arrange two other marriages for undercover U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Five other people accused in the scheme were also arrested today, including Chicago immigration lawyer Manny Aguja, 53, and two of his employees -- his twin brother Marc Aguja and Celeste Ligutan-Lopez. Federal authorities allege the three drew up paperwork to corroborate the fraudulent marriages and coached participants in the scam on how to make the unions appear legitimate.

Also arrested today were Keisha McGary, 33, of Chicago, and Eugene Wilson, 30, also of Chicago.

Along with Cruz, the Agujas, Ligutan-Lopez, and four other defendants -- Maria Cyd Adriatico-Fernandez, 53, of Oak Brook, Sonia Maki, 43, of Chicago, DeShawn Barksdale, 39, of Chicago, and and Latrice Wilson, 37, of Chicago -- they have been charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, the U.S. attorney's office said.

Cruz has also been charged with 10 counts of marriage fraud and the Aguja brothers have been charged with conspiracy to induce foreign nationals to reside illegally in the United States.

Conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and marriage fraud carry a maximum penalty of five
years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009 ... ornia.html

I hope these 10 scumbag criminals rot in an American jail along with the US Citizen counterparts and the women who chose to break our laws and make it tough on those who marry for love, not fraud.

Let's see....$3000 up front and $300-$350 a month until they get citizenship?

300 x 36 = $10,800
350 x 36 = $12,600

So they are paying a US Citizen to risk going to jail anywhere from $13,800 - $15,600? Pretty sad.

In Chicago? You don't say?

I.C.E. News Release

November 23, 2009

10 indicted in Chicago sham marriage conspiracy


CHICAGO - An immigration attorney and five current and former Cook County Traffic Court employees were among those charged on Monday for allegedly arranging sham marriages to evade U.S. immigration laws. The charges resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

A federal grand jury returned a 14-count indictment last week that was unsealed Nov. 23 after ICE agents arrested five of the defendants. Among the 10 individuals charged are a Chicago immigration attorney and five current or former Cook County Traffic Court employees. However, the charges do not allege that their employment played any role in the alleged fraud scheme.

According to the indictment, Maria F. Cruz and others recruited U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, primarily Filipinos, who entered into at least 15 sham marriages to evade immigration laws. The foreign nationals paid Cruz about $3,000 each to arrange for them to marry U.S. citizens. Cruz allegedly promised U.S. citizens that in return for marrying a foreign national they would receive about $3,000 after the marriage and about $350 a month until the foreign national obtained U.S. citizenship.

Foreign nationals who marry U.S. citizens can become U.S. permanent residents - and ultimately obtain U.S. citizenship - but not if the marriage is identified as a sham solely to evade immigration laws.

Cruz, 49, formerly of Chicago and currently living in American Canyon, Calif., was arrested on an initial complaint in late August; she was released on a $200,000 secured bond. She was a Cook County Traffic Court employee until this past summer when she moved to California.

In addition to the 15 allegedly fraudulent marriages detailed in the indictment, Cruz allegedly attempted to arrange two additional marriages between individuals and ICE agents during an undercover portion of the investigation.

Among the five people arrested Monday was Manny Aguja, 53, of Chicago, an immigration attorney with an office at 3144 W. Montrose Ave. Also arrested were two of Aguja's employees: his twin brother, Marc Aguja, 53; and Celeste Ligutan-Lopez, 36, both of Chicago.

According to the indictment, between July 2003 and October 2009 Cruz allegedly paid fees to individuals who referred U.S. citizens to her who were willing to enter into fraudulent marriages. Cruz then drove them to weddings and took photos before and after, knowing that they would be used to make it appear that the sham marriages were legitimate. She also advised the participants of steps they needed to take to make their marriages appear legitimate.

Cruz allegedly referred sham marriage participants to Manny Aguja's law office to prepare paperwork in support of the conspiracy. In addition to preparing allegedly fraudulent immigration papers, the Aguja brothers and Ligutan-Lopez met with participants and coached them on how to make the marriages appear legitimate. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of Manny Aguja's law office.

Also arrested Monday were Keisha McGary, 33; and Eugene Wilson, 30, both Cook County employees residing in Chicago. The Aguja brothers, Ligutan-Lopez, McGary and Wilson are scheduled to appear at 1:30 p.m. Monday before U.S. District Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan, Northern District of Illinois.

Cruz and the remaining four defendants will be ordered to appear for arraignment at a later date. They include Maria Cyd Adriatico-Fernandez, 53, of Oakbrook, and the following three Cook County Traffic Court employees: Sonia Maki, 43; DeShawn Barksdale, 39; and Eugene Wilson's sister, Latrice Wilson, 37, all of Chicago.

Each defendant was charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Some defendants were charged with additional counts of marriage or immigration fraud, including Cruz who faces 10 counts of marriage fraud. The Aguja brothers were also charged with conspiracy to induce foreign nationals to reside illegally in the United States.

"ICE will not tolerate those who engage in sham marriages to circumvent and exploit our nation's immigration system," said ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton. "Marriage fraud poses a significant vulnerability that must not go unchallenged. ICE aggressively investigates those who take illegal shortcuts to citizenship, whether they do so to gain an immigration benefit or simply for personal profit."

ICE was assisted in the investigation by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service's Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) program.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Yonan, Northern District of Illinois, is prosecuting the case.

Conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and marriage fraud carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Other immigration fraud counts in the indictment carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted, however, the Court would impose a sentence it deems reasonable under the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

-- 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: Monday, November 23, 2009
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0911/091123chicago.htm

Quite a few years ago, I was offered $10,000 by a guy who was my insurance agent, no less, to marry an 18-year-old Romanian kid. Took me 15 minutes to quit laughing. Later, talking with a friend, this same guy had offered her only $5,000. And you have to realize that we girls were both old enough to be the kid's grandmothers.

Originally Posted by vortex

Quite a few years ago, I was offered $10,000 by a guy who was my insurance agent, no less, to marry an 18-year-old Romanian kid. Took me 15 minutes to quit laughing. Later, talking with a friend, this same guy had offered her only $5,000. And you have to realize that we girls were both old enough to be the kid's grandmothers.

Back in the 70s my neighbor got busted on a pot possession charge and he went to a lawyer who offered to take his drug case for free and give him $10,000 to marry a rich foreigner just long enough for her to get her citizenship, and guaranteed no jail time on the drug charge. The guy was 19 and broke. I'm not sure how that worked out for him.