28 accused in marriage-citizenship scam

[Ban Hammer 12,879]

COLUMBIA, S.C. - More than two dozen men and women are accused of arranging or participating in marriages with Bulgarians to help the foreigners evade U.S. immigration laws, a federal prosecutor said Thursday.

The scheme, which involved U.S. citizens being recruited and paid to marry Bulgarians, appears to have started in 1997, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin McDonald said. He would not comment on money amounts.

"The allegations are that this was a ring, a conspiracy, to engage in fraudulent marriages," he said.

A federal indictment charged 13 Bulgarians and 15 U.S. citizens with conspiring to arrange or participate in the marriages. Nine were still being sought. More than a dozen also faced an additional marriage fraud charge.

"They did not reside together as husband and wife, and had no intention of residing together," the indictment states.

The marriages occurred in South Carolina, where the U.S. citizens were recruited, and Georgia, the indictment stated. Some of the Bulgarians were arrested in Boston, Chicago, Stamford, Conn., and Portland, Maine, McDonald said.

If convicted of the conspiracy charge, each person would face up to five years in prison.

Many suspects appeared in court Wednesday and were released on bail, McDonald said.

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[MaydayDas 1]

never get on the wrong path ...they gonna catch you sooner or later

[eau_xplain 2]

It's hard for me to understand how people seem to take the institution of marriage so lightly. I've been married once before and it took me a long time to feel ready to enter into the serious commitment of marriage again.

Edited May 11, 2007 by eau_xplain

[JODO 2]

I am glad they were caught. I hope they enjoy prison!

[Cassie 8]

And this, my fellow VJ'ers, is exactly why we go through what we go through in this visa process.

[Jasman0717 8]

never get on the wrong path ...they gonna catch you sooner or later

They busted a big ring here in California a couple of years ago.

[Elphie 0]

And this, my fellow VJ'ers, is exactly why we go through what we go through in this visa process.

True that.

[Robor007 0]

And this, my fellow VJ'ers, is exactly why we go through what we go through in this visa process.

Yep, it sucks. With my wife's interview in less than a week I'm just glad they weren't from the Philippines.

My dad has a friend with a Russian wife. She keeps trying to set him up with her Russian friends. Yes, money was offered. He turned her down out of moral and legal reasoning.

[ChristinaM 0]

Hmm, that'll change some of the faces round here. I know a couple of Bulgarians who were here illegally, wonder if they got caught too.

[almaty 19]

hmmm....as always there is a ripple effect in the system...i remember the viet nam cases and how much harder it became for the folks there

[Caladan 19]

And this, my fellow VJ'ers, is exactly why we go through what we go through in this visa process.

Seriously. Far more impact than say, illegal immigration, in terms of the restrictions it puts on my life.

[Alex+R 0]

I don't understand why American citizens participate in things like this. Seriously. If you need the money that badly, do a medical study or something. If the Bulgarian person had enough money to make it worth your while, they wouldn't need to be immigrating to the US.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

never get on the wrong path ...they gonna catch you sooner or later

They busted a big ring here in California a couple of years ago.

They don't even bust the tip of that iceberg. There are isolated busts of a few dozen vs. Lord knows how many cases of this kind that go undiscovered.

[Caladan 19]

I don't understand why American citizens participate in things like this. Seriously. If you need the money that badly, do a medical study or something. If the Bulgarian person had enough money to make it worth your while, they wouldn't need to be immigrating to the US.

It's probably not that person that has the money. My guess is that it's either a well-off relative, or a sex ring or business paying off the USC.

[mawilson 2,133]

I don't understand why American citizens participate in things like this.

Why not though? Easy cash. How much are they paying these days? $10,000? $20,000?