Federal authorities announced Wednesday that they have broken up an alleged marriage fraud ring that arranged hundreds of sham marriages in Massachusetts designed to obtain unlawful immigration benefits.
\n\nU.S. Attorney Leah Foley was joined by Homeland Security and immigration officials at a press conference at the Moakley courthouse on Wednesday morning to detail charges against six people, five of whom they said are currently in federal custody.
\n\nFoley said the marriage fraud ring generated over $6 million in profit and spanned more than a decade. The ringleader was Fall River resident Jennifer Gonzalez, a U.S. citizen who arranged the marriages, charging between $38,000-$40,000 and arranging between 18-20 marriages a year.
\n\nGonzalez then used the money to invest in businesses and property in the Dominican Republic.
\n\n“Every time I have a spare dollar I just invest in new property in my country,” she allegedly said. “Like, I have a lot of land in my country.”
\n\nGonzalez also secured payments for her co-conspirators, who were paid to engage in one or more fake marriages so that people could obtain U.S. citizenship and submit fraudulent documents.
\n\nAccording to court documents, the others charged were Erica Daniels, Cherice Alejandro, Amara Pugh, Jessica Tavares and…
Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business