MAN GETS PRISON TIME FOR USING SHAM MARRIAGE TO STAY IN U.S.
WXIX, OH
Sept 6 2007
(CINCINNATI) — Kamo Margaryan, age 23, was sentenced in United States
District Court on Wednesday to five months imprisonment following
his guilty plea in April to one count of entering into a marriage
for the purpose of evading immigration laws.
According to a statement of facts filed with his guilty plea, the
Armenian citizen entered the United States on or about June 10, 2005
on a visa that allowed him to travel and work in a program designed
for undergraduate university students. His visa expired Sept. 29,
2005. Margaryan remained in the United States and, on June 16, 2006,
he married a United States citizen in Cincinnati.
On October 2, 2006, Margaryan began the process of applying for legal
permanent resident status by virtue of this marriage. On March 16,
2007, Margaryan appeared at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Service (CIS) at the federal building in Cincinnati for an in-person
interview regarding this application.
During an interview with authorities, the woman he married admitted
that she has never lived with the defendant, and that she was paid
$700 initially to marry Margaryan. She was introduced to him by a
third party who claimed that he arranged marriages so that foreigners
would become eligible to get a "green card," declaring them permanent
resident aliens.
The woman told investigators that she received $700 in cash on the
day of the marriage and $300 each month thereafter. The arrangement
was to continue until the green card was obtained, and then a divorce
would be mutually sought. She became worried about lying to ICE and
sought a divorce, but was rebuffed by Margaryan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
