Woman sentenced to prison for sham marriages

Posted: 08/18/2009 07:38:20 PM PDT
Updated: 08/18/2009 07:38:21 PM PDT


SAN FRANCISCO—A woman federal prosecutors say arranged sham marriages will be serving time in prison after pleading guilty to six counts of marriage fraud and other charges.
Federal prosecutors say Kwan Tsoi, also known as Joyce Cai, was sentenced Tuesday to 19 months in prison for arranging fake marriages so that non-citizens could obtain "Green Cards."

United States Attorney Joseph Russoniello says in pleading guilty in April, Tsoi admitted that she arranged the marriages to take advantage of immigration laws granting immigration benefits to foreign spouses who marry American citizens.

Prosecutors say Tsoi advertised in Chinese-language newspapers, charging approximately $30,000 for each marriage.

Tsoi was ordered to report to prison on Sept. 30.


http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_13154470