July 26, 2011

Feds reveal immigration fraud case involving sham marriages

By Denny Walsh
dwalsh@sacbee.com

Federal authorities in Sacramento today unveiled a large-scale immigration fraud involving dozens of sham marriages arranged to allow participants unlawful entry into the United States.

Sergey Potepalov, a 55-year-old Citrus Heights resident, was described by U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner as the ringleader of those behind the fraud.

Potepalov and 13 others, including eight more from the Sacramento area, were charged two weeks ago in a sealed grand jury indictment with an elaborate scheme involving foreign nationals from Eastern Europe and Russia, who paid up to five-figure fees to marry a U.S. citizen recruited by Potepalov and others.

Potepalov, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Russian descent, was arrested at his home Monday morning by immigration agents. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance in court this afternoon before U. . Magistrate Judge Gregory G. Hollows.

http://blogs.sacbee.com/crime/archives/ ... l-imm.html