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Federal prosecutors accuse Fall River woman of leading decade-long sham-marriage operation
Six people are charged in an alleged Massachusetts scheme that arranged marriages for immigrants seeking legal status, with each marriage reportedly costing $38,000 to $40,000. Prosecutors say the operation brought in millions of dollars; the immigrants involved have not been charged.
BOSTON — Six people have been charged in a federal case accusing them of arranging sham marriages in Massachusetts to help immigrants obtain legal status, in a scheme prosecutors say operated for more than a decade and generated millions of dollars.
Prosecutors allege that Jennifer Gonzalez, 43, of Fall River, organized as many as 20 marriages a year. The other five defendants allegedly took part in marriages in exchange for payment, with some participating more than once. Immigrants were charged between $38,000 and $40,000 per marriage, according to authorities.
The defendants face charges including marriage fraud, conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, harboring immigrants unlawfully and conspiracy to do so. The charges are allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. None of the immigrants who entered the marriages has been charged.
Five defendants were arrested Wednesday. The sixth is serving a state prison sentence for a firearms offense. Gonzalez appeared in federal court and was scheduled for a hearing Friday on whether she would remain detained while the case proceeds. Her lawyer declined to comment.
U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said investigators allege Gonzalez used proceeds from the operation to buy businesses and real estate in the Dominican Republic. Prosecutors also accuse some defendants of making false statements on applications for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and allege Gonzalez spent $120,000 in SNAP benefits. The group is also accused of housing and unemployment fraud. The investigation is continuing.
Federal officials said the alleged scheme exploited immigration procedures and could undermine confidence in lawful applications. The case comes amid broader federal efforts to tighten immigration enforcement. Massachusetts authorities prosecuted a separate marriage-fraud operation three years ago; its operator pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration document fraud.
The case highlights the financial stakes of immigration pathways that can be difficult to navigate, while federal officials say paid sham marriages make the process harder to administer. The allegations will now be tested in court.