Federal prosecutors in Massachusetts have charged six people in what they describe as a long-running scheme that arranged sham marriages between U.S. citizens and immigrants so the immigrants could obtain green cards. Five of the defendants were arrested on Wednesday, Oct. 21, while the sixth was already in custody on unrelated charges.
Prosecutors say the alleged ringleader, Jennifer Gonzalez, 43, of Fall River, a U.S. citizen, ran the operation as a business for about 12 years, arranging an average of 18 to 20 marriages a year. Immigrants allegedly paid her between $38,000 and $40,000 each, and the U.S. citizens who agreed to marry them received additional payments.
"Selling the American Dream"
"On the low end, this conspiracy netted her $6 million during the course of the alleged scam," U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said. "Ms. Gonzalez got rich off selling the American Dream all the while investing her money in another country." Recordings allegedly captured Gonzalez saying she used the proceeds to buy real estate and invest in businesses in the Dominican Republic.
According to the charging documents, the arrangements included wedding rings and staged photos meant to make the marriages appear genuine. One defendant allegedly told an informant, a Brazilian national, that she would require $500 a month during a marriage expected to last about three to three and a half years. Prosecutors also allege that Gonzalez lied on applications for SNAP food assistance from 2019 to 2026 by claiming she had never been married, receiving about $120,000 in benefits.
The defendants and charges
Besides Gonzalez, the defendants are Erica Daniels, 29, Amara Pugh, 31, and Jaylin Hill, 26, all of Fall River; Cherice Alejandro, 39, also of Fall River; and Jessica Tavares, 31, of Attleboro. Some reports spell two of the names differently. All six face charges of harboring illegal aliens, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, marriage fraud and conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Some of the other defendants also face housing and unemployment fraud allegations.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. No immigrants who entered into the marriages have been charged so far. Gonzalez's attorney declined to comment. The case comes amid a broader federal crackdown on immigration fraud; in August, 11 people were charged in a separate scheme that used sham marriages to help Chinese nationals obtain green cards.
