Fraudsters in California issued hundreds of fictitious marriages for the sake of a green card

In Southern California, 11 residents were charged with running a large-scale marriage scam "agency" that orchestrated hundreds of fake marriages in an attempt to circumvent immigration laws. Read more about fraud told the publication KTLA.

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Eight of the 11 defendants were arrested in California. They will first appear in federal court in Los Angeles and then in Boston.

These people were accused of conspiring to commit marriage and immigration fraud:

• Marsialito Biol Benítez, aka "Mars", 48, is a Filipino citizen living in Los Angeles.
• Engilbert Ulan, aka "Angel", 39, is a Filipino citizen living in Los Angeles.
• Nino Reyes Valmeo, 45, a Filipino citizen living in Los Angeles.
• Harold Poquita, 30, Filipino citizen living in Los Angeles.
• Juanita Paxon, 45, is a Filipino citizen living in Los Angeles.
• Felipe Capindo David, aka "Pilipi" or "Peebles", 49, Filipino citizen living in Los Angeles.
• Peterson Souza, 34, is a Brazilian citizen residing in Anaheim.
• Devon Hammer, 26, from Palmdale.
• Tamiya Duckett, 25, from Lancaster, Inglewood and Palmdale.
• Karina Santos, 24, Lancaster.
• Casey Loya, 33, from Lancaster and Palmdale.

According to the indictment, Benitez ran a so-called agency that arranged marriages between foreigners and US citizens.

The agency prepared and filed false petitions, applications, and other documents to validate a fictitious marriage and secure clients' immigration status for a fee ranging from $20 to $000.

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One of the foreign clients lived in Massachusetts, officials said.

Benitez ran the agency from an office in Los Angeles, where he hired his associates as employees.

Valmeo, Ulan, Poquita and Paxon assisted in arranging marriages and filing forged documents, including false tax returns.

It is believed that Hammer, Duckett, Santos, and Loya served as "brokers" who recruited US citizens who wished to marry clients in exchange for remuneration and monthly payments from client spouses after marriage so that US citizens remained "responsive and cooperative." » until the client obtains legal permanent resident status.

It is also alleged that Sousa and Capindo David referred potential foreign clients to the agency for a commission of around $2000 per person.

After pairing foreign clients with citizen spouses, Benítez and his staff staged wedding ceremonies in chapels, parks and other venues, which were hosted by online hired staff. In many cases, the agency has taken photographs of clients in front of wedding decorations to file immigration petitions later, officials said.

Benítez and his staff then filed fraudulent marriage-based immigration petitions with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Benítez and his staff taught clients how to interview with USCIS and advised clients on maintaining the appearance of a legal marriage. Benitez and his associates did this for at least 400 clients between October 2016 and March 2022, officials said.

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Benítez, along with associates, helped some clients — usually those whose spouses became unresponsive or uncooperative — to obtain green cards under the Violence Act, alleging that immigrants had been abused by American spouses. The agency filed fraudulent claims on behalf of clients for temporary restraining orders against spouses, all based on trumped-up allegations of domestic violence.

Authorities explained that defendants would be required to submit restraining order documentation along with immigration petitions to USCIS in order to take advantage of provisions that allow non-citizens who have been victims of spousal abuse to apply for lawful permanent resident status without the involvement of their spouses.

“The Defendants' alleged use of this system for profit is an affront to our national tradition of welcoming immigrants and potential citizens,” U.S. Attorney Rachel Rollins said in a statement. “Their fraudulent behavior makes life difficult for the vast majority of immigrants who abide by the law and respect our immigration system. In addition, by making false allegations of domestic violence, these defendants have caused additional harm, this time to real victims and survivors of domestic violence.”

The charge of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud carries a penalty of five years in prison and a $250 fine, officials said.

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