Four Charged in Multi-State Marriage Fraud Scheme Linked to Immigration Benefits

Federal authorities have indicted four individuals from New York and New Jersey for their alleged roles in organizing fraudulent marriages between U.S. citizens and non-citizens seeking immigration benefits. According to prosecutors, the accused facilitated dozens of sham unions in exchange for payment, using falsified documents to deceive immigration officials and secure legal residency for foreign nationals.

The indictment, unsealed in Maryland, charges Ella Zuran, 65, Tatiana Sigal, 74, and Alexandra Tkach, 41, all of New York City, along with Shawnta Hopper, 33, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, with conspiracy to commit visa and marriage fraud. Investigators allege the group orchestrated fake marriages by recruiting U.S. citizens, including some in Maryland, to marry individuals residing unlawfully in the United States. In return, the citizens received financial compensation, and the group profited by arranging and managing the fraudulent applications.

Authorities say the defendants submitted falsified documents to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), portraying the sham marriages as legitimate. These documents were designed to mislead USCIS officers and help non-citizens gain legal status they were not otherwise eligible to receive. The scheme, investigators said, undermined the integrity of the U.S. immigration system and diverted resources from lawful applicants.

If convicted, each of the defendants could face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. However, actual sentences are determined by a federal judge and typically fall below the maximum. Prosecutors emphasized that an indictment is not a conviction, and all four individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

The investigation was led by the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force under Homeland Security Investigations and the Fraud Detection and National Security Unit of USCIS in Baltimore. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Spencer Todd and Michael Aubin.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland.

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