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A Filipino citizen and others 10 Residents of Southern California have been arrested for carrying out an illegal scheme to obtain the “Green Card” for foreign citizens through fraudulent marriages .
According to the federal authorities, the “agency” directed by Marcialito Bio Benítez, of 48 years, fixed around 400 sham marriages of United States citizens with clients from other countries since 2016. Then, the organization itself carried out procedures with petitions, applications and other false documents to obtain permanent residence for clients in exchange for payments between $20,04 and $30,000 dollars.
The list of defendants for conspiring to commit fraudulent marriage and immigration document fraud includes Engilbert Ulan, aged 34 years old; Nino Reyes Valmeo, from 45; Harold Poquita, of 30; Juanita Pacson, from 45, and Felipe Capindo David, from 49, all of them Filipino residents of Los Angeles.
Charges have also been received by Peterson Souza, a Brazilian from 34 years Anaheim resident; Devon Hammer, of 25; Tamia Duckett, from 25; Karina Santos, from 24, and Casey Loya, from 33, all of these latter residents of Palmdale/Lancaster.
“Marriage fraud is a serious crime that threatens the integrity of our nation’s immigration legal system”
, prosecutor Rachael S. Rollins said in the statement from the Department of Justice, Massachusetts district. “The alleged fraudulent behavior of these defendants further complicates matters for the vast majority of immigrants who play by the rules and respect the immigration system.” The prosecutor added that the defendants allegedly generated false applications alleging domestic abuse as part of the scheme to help clients obtain papers under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
Benítez is suspected of operating the agency in offices in Los Angeles, where he employed Valmeo, Ulan, Poquita and Pacson, in charge of organizing the fake marriages and documents immigration fraud, including false tax returns.
For their part, Hammer, Duckett, Santos and Loya worked as “brokers” to recruit US citizens willing to marry agency clients, this in exchange for advance payments and payments client’s monthly payments after marriage “to keep U.S. citizens vigilant and cooperative until clients have obtained permanent resident status.”
Souza and Capindo were dedicated to getting possible clients for the business in exchange for payments of around $2,000 dollars as commission.
As part of the fraudulent scheme, the agency prepared fake marriage ceremonies in chapels, parks and other locations, taking photos with highly decorated backgrounds, which were then added to the immigration petitions. Employees also trained citizens and clients to fake interviews with USCIS.
The charge of conspiracy to commit fraudulent marriage carries a sentence of up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 Dollars.