A group of foreign nationals and U.S. citizens used a provision in the newly reauthorized Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) as part of a profit-making fake marriage scheme in which American citizens were paid to marry foreigners to establish U.S. residency, prosecutors say.
Foreign nationals paid as much as $30,000 for the sham marriages, which included a fake ceremony with wedding dress, tuxedos, and photo albums, according to a multiple-count federal indictment handed announced on April 7 against the 11 individuals charged in the operation.
