Guilty plea in fraudulent U.S. marriages

WASHINGTON Nov. 9 (UPI) -- A Virginia immigrant from Ghana has pleaded guilty to helping arrange as many as 300 fraudulent marriages to enable U.S. immigration.

Pharmacy technician Eric Amoah, 42, was one of 22 people charged in connection with the scam in the Washington area two months ago and pleaded guilty Wednesday, USA Today reported. His sentence is pending, and his lawyer, Alfred Robertson said part of it could be deportation, as Amoah himself married a U.S. citizen to gain entry.

"He knew what he was doing was wrong," Robertson said.

James Spero, head of the Identity and Benefits Fraud Unit at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told the newspaper that fraudulent marriages are on the rise, and organizations typically charge $2,500 to $6,000 to arrange a marriage.

The report said another investigation is under way in Gwinnett County, Ga., where two men are charged with bigamy for marrying at least 13 African women to gain residency.