marriage scam

[Minya's wife 24]

Let's not forget that Varee Bradford is not the only criminal here. In each of these cases, there was an American citizen who accepted money in return for fraudulently filing papers to bring a Thai national to the US as part of a sham marriage. They may have some level of defense because Ms. Bradford was their employer, so they can claim she put pressure on them, but they still accepted the money.

I've lived in California for nearly 30 years, and in that time I've been approached 3 times and offered in excess of $10K to marry a foreigner (Mexican girls on two occasions, and a Salvadoran girl on another). At the time these offers were made, my annual earnings were between 2 and 3 times that amount. My income was adequate to cover my expenses, and well above the poverty line, but I can tell you that $10K is a LOT of money when your annual income is that low. I said "no", but I can guarantee there are a lot of US citizens who would say "yes".

Yes I agree with you spicily with this economy some people need cash??

But for her she's making big business from this and she's wealthy .

Oh, I see, the accused should be deported back to whence she came, but the USC's who agreed to commit fraud did it because of the bleak economic times??? that's quite a selective blame allocation you're doing there.

[jamall 1]

she's in deep ######

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Let's not forget that Varee Bradford is not the only criminal here. In each of these cases, there was an American citizen who accepted money in return for fraudulently filing papers to bring a Thai national to the US as part of a sham marriage. They may have some level of defense because Ms. Bradford was their employer, so they can claim she put pressure on them, but they still accepted the money.

I've lived in California for nearly 30 years, and in that time I've been approached 3 times and offered in excess of $10K to marry a foreigner (Mexican girls on two occasions, and a Salvadoran girl on another). At the time these offers were made, my annual earnings were between 2 and 3 times that amount. My income was adequate to cover my expenses, and well above the poverty line, but I can tell you that $10K is a LOT of money when your annual income is that low. I said "no", but I can guarantee there are a lot of US citizens who would say "yes".

Yes I agree with you spicily with this economy some people need cash??

But for her she's making big business from this and she's wealthy .

Oh, I see, the accused should be deported back to whence she came, but the USC's who agreed to commit fraud did it because of the bleak economic times??? that's quite a selective blame allocation you're doing there.

I agree. Both parties committed a crime, and both should be held accountable.

I also doubt she made any money. The article states that all but one of the beneficiaries were relatives of hers, so I think she was paying for this herself. I doubt the criminal forfeiture is going to garner much for the government because I don't think there was any profit involved for her. On the other hand, criminal forfeiture COULD apply to the US citizens who were paid off to enter into these sham marriages.

I don't fault her for wanting her family to come to the US. Practically every immigrant to the US wants the same. I fault her for committing fraud and violating US laws in order to do it.

[jundp 191]

IMO the line between paying a USC to marry an immigrant in order for that immigrant to gain residency and marrying your already existing USC boyfriend to gain residency is not so clear cut as we would like to believe.

True. How many people here on VJ alone decided to get married simply so their SO could come to the US? I'm not saying those marriages are fraudulent, nor am I making a comparison between those marriages and what this woman did, but in the end, it amounts to something similar. Many people on here have stated they wouldn't have gotten married if not forced to do so because of immigration.

It's an interesting thought, though. Those relationships are valid and of course the people love each other, but in a way, they married for a green card too.

NOT the same thing, I do know that. But interesting nonetheless.

Obviously if proven that $$ was paid/accepted in order to contract such a marriage, it makes this case quite clearly fraud, and my argument is not so much about that...we all know that is fraud. I'm simply arguing that marriage and immigration benefits are not two separate things that do not ever 'bleed' into one another.

Agreed.

[Peace be still 6]

Let's not forget that Varee Bradford is not the only criminal here. In each of these cases, there was an American citizen who accepted money in return for fraudulently filing papers to bring a Thai national to the US as part of a sham marriage. They may have some level of defense because Ms. Bradford was their employer, so they can claim she put pressure on them, but they still accepted the money.

I've lived in California for nearly 30 years, and in that time I've been approached 3 times and offered in excess of $10K to marry a foreigner (Mexican girls on two occasions, and a Salvadoran girl on another). At the time these offers were made, my annual earnings were between 2 and 3 times that amount. My income was adequate to cover my expenses, and well above the poverty line, but I can tell you that $10K is a LOT of money when your annual income is that low. I said "no", but I can guarantee there are a lot of US citizens who would say "yes".

Yes I agree with you spicily with this economy some people need cash??

But for her she's making big business from this and she's wealthy .

Oh, I see, the accused should be deported back to whence she came, but the USC's who agreed to commit fraud did it because of the bleak economic times??? that's quite a selective blame allocation you're doing there.

I agree. Both parties committed a crime, and both should be held accountable.

I also doubt she made any money. The article states that all but one of the beneficiaries were relatives of hers, so I think she was paying for this herself. I doubt the criminal forfeiture is going to garner much for the government because I don't think there was any profit involved for her. On the other hand, criminal forfeiture COULD apply to the US citizens who were paid off to enter into these sham marriages.

I don't fault her for wanting her family to come to the US. Practically every immigrant to the US wants the same. I fault her for committing fraud and violating US laws in order to do it.

I'm sure she made money. Her relatives I'm sure worked in her resturant for years, so this alone saved her megga cash. I know she didn't pay her family what the law has mandated all employers to pay his/her employees. My question is how did they get pass USCIS, and NVC all the way to the consulate? Perhaps there is alot of hands dirty and she might not be the only one going to jail. Perhaps some government employees hands were in the mix. I would not be surprised. Nevertheless, I am sure somebody that she used to bring her family over here snitched them out after he/she felt used up and no longer felt important. Oh well let the chips fall where they may.

[Minya's wife 24]

Let's not forget that Varee Bradford is not the only criminal here. In each of these cases, there was an American citizen who accepted money in return for fraudulently filing papers to bring a Thai national to the US as part of a sham marriage. They may have some level of defense because Ms. Bradford was their employer, so they can claim she put pressure on them, but they still accepted the money.

I've lived in California for nearly 30 years, and in that time I've been approached 3 times and offered in excess of $10K to marry a foreigner (Mexican girls on two occasions, and a Salvadoran girl on another). At the time these offers were made, my annual earnings were between 2 and 3 times that amount. My income was adequate to cover my expenses, and well above the poverty line, but I can tell you that $10K is a LOT of money when your annual income is that low. I said "no", but I can guarantee there are a lot of US citizens who would say "yes".

Yes I agree with you spicily with this economy some people need cash??

But for her she's making big business from this and she's wealthy .

Oh, I see, the accused should be deported back to whence she came, but the USC's who agreed to commit fraud did it because of the bleak economic times??? that's quite a selective blame allocation you're doing there.

I agree. Both parties committed a crime, and both should be held accountable.

I also doubt she made any money. The article states that all but one of the beneficiaries were relatives of hers, so I think she was paying for this herself. I doubt the criminal forfeiture is going to garner much for the government because I don't think there was any profit involved for her. On the other hand, criminal forfeiture COULD apply to the US citizens who were paid off to enter into these sham marriages.

I don't fault her for wanting her family to come to the US. Practically every immigrant to the US wants the same. I fault her for committing fraud and violating US laws in order to do it.

I'm sure she made money. Her relatives I'm sure worked in her resturant for years, so this alone saved her megga cash. I know she didn't pay her family what the law has mandated all employers to pay his/her employees. My question is how did they get pass USCIS, and NVC all the way to the consulate? Perhaps there is alot of hands dirty and she might not be the only one going to jail. Perhaps some government employees hands were in the mix. I would not be surprised. Nevertheless, I am sure somebody that she used to bring her family over here snitched them out after he/she felt used up and no longer felt important. Oh well let the chips fall where they may.

What she did w/ her own business is her well...her own business. There's nothing new (or illegal) in hiring family members to work in your business. And if it saves you some cash, well then good for you for having family that is willing to come work for you. It just says that Ms. Bradford is accused of having "paid her workers tens of thousands of dollars to enter into sham marriages with her relatives, allowing them to stay in the U.S."

The workers she paid to commit the fraud were not her family members...so not even sure where you're getting the idea that she saved $$$ by slave labor employing her family members.

As for the part I bolded....well, that's a bit conspiracy theory-ish don't you think?

[jamall 1]

good job guys

[Ban Hammer 12,861]

She's hot and being Thai bet she can shag really well!

[jamall 1]

I do like many people to see this post . so they think million times before they do something stupid like this .

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Once you have US citizenship you have it for life unless you revoke it or do something that causes you to publicly revoke it.

All I can say is that this person and all others involved in this scam really suck as human beings... (the smiley indicates a joking tone)

Edited June 25, 2009 by lancer1655

[Peace be still 6]

Section 349 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1481), as amended, states that U.S. citizens are subject to loss of citizenship if they perform certain specified acts voluntarily and with the intention to relinquish U.S. citizenship. Briefly stated, these acts include:

obtaining naturalization in a foreign state (Sec. 349 (a) (1) INA);

taking an oath, affirmation or other formal declaration to a foreign state or its political subdivisions (Sec. 349 (a) (2) INA);

entering or serving in the armed forces of a foreign state engaged in hostilities against the U.S. or serving as a commissioned or non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of a foreign state (Sec. 349 (a) (3) INA);

accepting employment with a foreign government if (a) one has the nationality of that foreign state or (B) an oath or declaration of allegiance is required in accepting the position (Sec. 349 (a) (4) INA);

formally renouncing U.S. citizenship before a U.S. diplomatic or consular officer outside the United States (sec. 349 (a) (5) INA);

formally renouncing U.S. citizenship within the U.S. (but only under strict, narrow statutory conditions) (Sec. 349 (a) (6) INA);

conviction for an act of treason (Sec. 349 (a) (7) INA).

From the US Department of State

http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_778.html

[jimnlena 8]

8 to 9 million illegals receiveing free ride, I dare not start a comment here!!

[albkos 1]

Let's not forget that Varee Bradford is not the only criminal here. In each of these cases, there was an American citizen who accepted money in return for fraudulently filing papers to bring a Thai national to the US as part of a sham marriage. They may have some level of defense because Ms. Bradford was their employer, so they can claim she put pressure on them, but they still accepted the money.

I've lived in California for nearly 30 years, and in that time I've been approached 3 times and offered in excess of $10K to marry a foreigner (Mexican girls on two occasions, and a Salvadoran girl on another). At the time these offers were made, my annual earnings were between 2 and 3 times that amount. My income was adequate to cover my expenses, and well above the poverty line, but I can tell you that $10K is a LOT of money when your annual income is that low. I said "no", but I can guarantee there are a lot of US citizens who would say "yes".

Yes I agree with you spicily with this economy some people need cash??

But for her she’s making big business from this and she’s wealthy .

I agree, what about the ones that accepted the cash from her..they are more at fault.....for accepting it. If they felt the pressure they could have found new jobs at other restaurants....Obviously it agreed with them too to take a lousy $10k, definately not worth going t hrough all this paperwork and to get involved with the government knowing it is fraud, not worth having on my record. But I am sure the ones that accepted the money will not get into any trouble..

Economy is no excuse to break the law or do things for money...........

[Maroc2Texas 0]

I say give it to them! This is why immigration is so freaking hard because of nuts like this!

[Road 2 Peace Arch 0]

Aside from what already been said above by others, the service and food are pretty good there. They enjoy (or did) a good reputation in the area for Thai food/cusine. Wonder how many legitimate employees accross all of their resto's in the Seattle area will be out of work soon once the dust settles.

And what about the husband? Surely, he wasnt just sitting at home in a state of bliss while she brainstormed this up.

But frankly, you can have the best resto in the world and still be a criminal and think the laws, in this case immigration laws, dont apply to you.