May 14th, 2010 -
ICT by BNO News -
HOUSTON, TEXAS (BNO NEWS) – Three U.S. citizens and three Cambodian nationals were indicted with nine counts of conspiring to commit marriage fraud, benefit/visa fraud and passport fraud, U.S. Attorney Jose Angel Moreno announced on Friday.
The three detained Americans were identified as Julianne Garcia, 27, Helen Garcia, 64, and Michael Reese, 57. Lou Sou, 46, Sampher Thou, 35, and Jane Doe, also known as “Leaphiny Muth,” were the three Cambodian nationals involved in the fraudulent conspiracy. All six defendants are accused of conspiring to commit marriage fraud for the purpose of evading immigration laws and filing false documents to achieve their goals.
“The United States, a melting pot for immigrants from all corners of the world, continues to welcome legal immigration. It is illegal immigration, whether by illegal entry, overstay, or fraud, which cannot and will not be tolerated,” said Moreno.
The conspirators allegedly recruited American citizens to enter into fraudulent marriages with Cambodian nationals. The recruits received fees for the sham marriages that intended to fraudulently obtaining the conditional and lawful permanent resident status for marrying a U.S. citizen.
Julianne Garcia married Thou in August 2006, while Reece entered into a sham marriage with Ode in December 2006. Helen Garcia, Julianne’s mother, and Sour allegedly aided her and Thou in their fraudulent marriage. Sou also aided Reece and Doe. She allowed her residence to be used on the marriage license applications as the address of both couples.
Doe is also charged with visa fraud, using and possessing a U.S. non-immigrant visa in the name of Leaphiny Muth. Doe and Reece also falsely claimed on a passport application for a child that Reece was the father.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment while the passport and visa fraud carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.
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6 indicted in Houston over alleged bogus marriages
05/14/2010
Associated Press
A federal grand jury in Houston has indicted three Americans and three Cambodian nationals in an alleged bogus marriage and visa fraud scheme.
U.S. Attorney Jose Angel Moreno on Friday announced three people were arrested in the Houston area, while two suspects were arrested in Midland. The sixth defendant was arrested Thursday in Pasadena.
All six are accused of conspiring to commit marriage fraud to evade immigration laws. One is also charged with visa fraud.
The indictment returned Monday alleges U.S. citizens were recruited and paid to enter into sham marriages with Cambodian nationals.
Prosecutors say the conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a $250,00 fine. Visa fraud carries a maximum 10-year prison term and a $250,000 fine.
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Helen Garcia, Mom Of The Year: Sets Up Sham Marriage For Daughter, Feds Say
By Richard Connelly, Friday, May. 14 2010
It was a real-life Green Card, except instead of Gerard Depardieu and Andie MacDowell finding sweet, sweet love we got a mother hiring out her kid for a fake marriage to a Cambodian immigrant.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Houston announced this morning the indictments of six people for trying to commit marriage fraud in order to stay in America. The six were involved in "sham marriages," which we thought was something only Tom Cruise did.
Helen Garcia, 64, is accused of taking payments in order to facilitate the sham marriage of her daughter Julianne to Samphear Thou, 35, of Cambodia. And they seemed like such a lovely couple.
"Americans who break the law by committing marriage fraud or other, related offenses may potentially threaten the national security of the United States," said Peter S. Hargraves, special agent in charge of the State Department's DSS, Houston Field Office. "The U.S. visa is one of the most coveted travel documents in the world, and foreign nationals who acquire visas fraudulently to enter the United States may do so in order to carry out criminal activities, including terrorism. This case demonstrates Diplomatic Security's commitment to investigating these crimes and helping bring them to justice."
Where is the love? Not here:
The indictment, returned by a Houston grand jury on Monday, May 10, 2010, alleges the conspirators would and did recruit U.S. citizens to enter into fraudulent marriages with Cambodian nationals. These "recruits" were paid substantial "marriage fees" to enter into the sham marriages. The conspirators entered into the sham marriages for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining the benefit of conditional permanent resident status and later lawful permanent resident status in the United States as the spouse of a U.S. citizen. In some instances, a recruit was required to kickback a portion of the marriage fee to their recruiter.
So these two people enter into a sham marriage, they're forced to live together for a brief period where they immediately get on each other's nerves, but then....(cue Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open the Door" on the trailer soundtrack)...the feds come.
Somehow we don't see this testing well with preview audiences.
ICT by BNO News -
HOUSTON, TEXAS (BNO NEWS) – Three U.S. citizens and three Cambodian nationals were indicted with nine counts of conspiring to commit marriage fraud, benefit/visa fraud and passport fraud, U.S. Attorney Jose Angel Moreno announced on Friday.
The three detained Americans were identified as Julianne Garcia, 27, Helen Garcia, 64, and Michael Reese, 57. Lou Sou, 46, Sampher Thou, 35, and Jane Doe, also known as “Leaphiny Muth,” were the three Cambodian nationals involved in the fraudulent conspiracy. All six defendants are accused of conspiring to commit marriage fraud for the purpose of evading immigration laws and filing false documents to achieve their goals.
“The United States, a melting pot for immigrants from all corners of the world, continues to welcome legal immigration. It is illegal immigration, whether by illegal entry, overstay, or fraud, which cannot and will not be tolerated,” said Moreno.
The conspirators allegedly recruited American citizens to enter into fraudulent marriages with Cambodian nationals. The recruits received fees for the sham marriages that intended to fraudulently obtaining the conditional and lawful permanent resident status for marrying a U.S. citizen.
Julianne Garcia married Thou in August 2006, while Reece entered into a sham marriage with Ode in December 2006. Helen Garcia, Julianne’s mother, and Sour allegedly aided her and Thou in their fraudulent marriage. Sou also aided Reece and Doe. She allowed her residence to be used on the marriage license applications as the address of both couples.
Doe is also charged with visa fraud, using and possessing a U.S. non-immigrant visa in the name of Leaphiny Muth. Doe and Reece also falsely claimed on a passport application for a child that Reece was the father.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment while the passport and visa fraud carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.
--------------------------------------------
6 indicted in Houston over alleged bogus marriages
05/14/2010
Associated Press
A federal grand jury in Houston has indicted three Americans and three Cambodian nationals in an alleged bogus marriage and visa fraud scheme.
U.S. Attorney Jose Angel Moreno on Friday announced three people were arrested in the Houston area, while two suspects were arrested in Midland. The sixth defendant was arrested Thursday in Pasadena.
All six are accused of conspiring to commit marriage fraud to evade immigration laws. One is also charged with visa fraud.
The indictment returned Monday alleges U.S. citizens were recruited and paid to enter into sham marriages with Cambodian nationals.
Prosecutors say the conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a $250,00 fine. Visa fraud carries a maximum 10-year prison term and a $250,000 fine.
------------------------------------------
Helen Garcia, Mom Of The Year: Sets Up Sham Marriage For Daughter, Feds Say
By Richard Connelly, Friday, May. 14 2010
It was a real-life Green Card, except instead of Gerard Depardieu and Andie MacDowell finding sweet, sweet love we got a mother hiring out her kid for a fake marriage to a Cambodian immigrant.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Houston announced this morning the indictments of six people for trying to commit marriage fraud in order to stay in America. The six were involved in "sham marriages," which we thought was something only Tom Cruise did.
Helen Garcia, 64, is accused of taking payments in order to facilitate the sham marriage of her daughter Julianne to Samphear Thou, 35, of Cambodia. And they seemed like such a lovely couple.
"Americans who break the law by committing marriage fraud or other, related offenses may potentially threaten the national security of the United States," said Peter S. Hargraves, special agent in charge of the State Department's DSS, Houston Field Office. "The U.S. visa is one of the most coveted travel documents in the world, and foreign nationals who acquire visas fraudulently to enter the United States may do so in order to carry out criminal activities, including terrorism. This case demonstrates Diplomatic Security's commitment to investigating these crimes and helping bring them to justice."
Where is the love? Not here:
The indictment, returned by a Houston grand jury on Monday, May 10, 2010, alleges the conspirators would and did recruit U.S. citizens to enter into fraudulent marriages with Cambodian nationals. These "recruits" were paid substantial "marriage fees" to enter into the sham marriages. The conspirators entered into the sham marriages for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining the benefit of conditional permanent resident status and later lawful permanent resident status in the United States as the spouse of a U.S. citizen. In some instances, a recruit was required to kickback a portion of the marriage fee to their recruiter.
So these two people enter into a sham marriage, they're forced to live together for a brief period where they immediately get on each other's nerves, but then....(cue Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open the Door" on the trailer soundtrack)...the feds come.
Somehow we don't see this testing well with preview audiences.
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