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ImmigrationProf Blog
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Sham Marriage Allegations in Brownsville

By immigrationprof

The Associated Press reports:

Two Americans and two Israelis accused by immigration authorities of entering into sham marriages are scheduled to appear in court Monday.

Jessica Martinez, a U.S. citizen, and her Israeli husband Eldad Efraim; and Ray Richard Vega, a U.S. citizen, and his Israeli wife, Miri Smoler, are charged with “knowingly enter(ing) into a marriage for the purpose of evading a provision of immigration laws,” according to court documents. The felony charge carries up to five years in federal prison and up to $250,000 in fines.

Both couples married in November 2004. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement allege Efraim and Smoler paid Martinez and Vega $5,000 each to enter into fraudulent marriages. Click here for the full story.

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