The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday a national marriage fraud scheme with ties to Jacksonville and the U.S. Navy. — The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday a national marriage fraud scheme with ties to Jacksonville and the U.S. Navy.
This case involves Chinese nationals paying U.S. citizens, specifically some Navy service members, to marry them so they could evade immigration laws and become permanent residents.
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Federal prosecutors say the recruited U.S. citizens involved would be paid thousands in cash installments for marrying the Chinese nationals, when the immigration status was obtained and then for divorcing their sham spouses afterward.
The government said the goal of some marriages was simply to gain citizenship. For others, prosecutors say it was so the Chinese national spouse could get a Common Access Card. The card eases the path to permanent residency. But there’s another key privilege.
“But in this instance, excuse me, it gives you access to military facilities, not only here in Jacksonville, but throughout the United States, but throughout the world,” Gregory W. Kehoe, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, said.
Exactly why the Chinese nationals wanted base access? Officials say they’re still investigating – especially to determine if they worked for the Chinese government.
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Civilian spouses often use base entry for privileges like food and laundry. Kehoe said the conspirators went to extensive lengths to look like couples.
“Not only did they go through the processes of engaging these marriages, but they took photographs of marriage ceremonies of celebrations of the marriages themselves, so these individuals could produce them to immigration services,” Kehoe said.
A mix of service members, Chinese nationals, and Americans, were charged.
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Overall 11 men and women were indicted on marriage fraud conspiracy charges.
Among the defendants in this case, Navy Reservist Raymond Zumba pleaded guilty after being caught in a sting operation. Last January, the DOJ said he bribed a couple that worked at NAS Jacksonville with $3,500 for real but Unauthorized Department of Defense ID cards. They say Zumba himself was paid $10,000 for marrying a Chinese national, even serving as a match maker for other sham couples, including Navy members.
All of the charges in this case: marriage fraud, marriage fraud conspiracy, and bribery conspiracy carry up to 5 years in prison per charge.
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