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October 27, 2006

Immigration officials bust fake marriage scam in R.I.

PROVIDENCE -- A New Bedford man was ordered held today after being charged with arranging "fraudulent marriages" in Rhode Island for undocumented immigrants seeking permanent resident cards.

Federal immigration officials arrested Carlos Alberto Da Veiga earlier this week following a five-month investigation, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Employees from various Rhode Island towns had notified Immigration and Customs Enforcement about marriage license applicants "who behaved suspiciously." Some couples couldn't speak the same language, and others were accompanied by a third person.

Federal agents began monitoring Da Veiga and learned that he facilitated at least 15 such fraudulent marriages between American citizens and undocumented immigrants between May 2005 and this month, according to the U.S. Atttorney's Office.

Prosecutors say that Da Veiga charged between $3,000 and $9,000 to
arrange a marriage and paid a U.S. citizen $1,500 to participate. The immigrant also had to pay the U.S. citizen $200 per month while the immigration application was pending.

The U.S. Attorney's Office believes that Da Veiga brought couples to Rhode Island to get married because there is no waiting period or blood test requirement.

Cumberland and East Providence Police assisted ICE in the investigation.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 4:30 PM | Permalink

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