Prison and deportation: Georgians paid dearly for fictitious marriage in the USA

Marilyn Godshall from Wilmington, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to immigration fraud, her daughter and a Georgian citizen were involved in the case. This is stated in a statement on the site. US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Фото: Depositphotos

The US Internal Security Service has launched an investigation into a fraudulent marriage between the daughter of Godshall, US citizen Melissa Godshall, and citizen of the Republic of Georgia Levan Lomtatidze. Melissa Godshal was married to Lomatidze, and also lived with her real boyfriend Robert Kennerly.

“Fraud marriage in our immigration system is a federal crime,” said Acting Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Ken Cuccinelli. — USCIS does not tolerate those who try to defraud the country. “I commend the professionalism of the USCIS officials who investigated this allegation of a sham marriage, and I also thank our law enforcement partners for their efforts to bring these criminals to justice.”

During the investigation, the agents revealed that the fictitious marriage to Melissa was proposed by Tojiddin Ragimov (a naturalized US citizen from Tajikistan). He walked over to the couple and invited Melissa to marry a foreigner for money. Godshall agreed to marry Lomtatidze in exchange for $ 12 000, housing and a car. The wedding took place in North Carolina.

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During the investigation, it was confirmed that Lomtatidze, Melissa Godshall and Kennerly concluded a lease for a house located in the city of Raleigh (North Carolina). Lomtatidze paid the rent as part of a fake marriage fee. After that, the newlyweds submitted to USCIS a request to change the immigration status of the Georgian since he entered. marriage.

Lomtatidze and Melissa Godshall were interviewed and both claimed that the marriage was not fictitious and that they actually were in a relationship. Georgia was granted US resident status.

On the 18 of September the 2017 of the year, Godschall prepared a statement in support of Lomtatizde's residency statement. The girl considered the marriage legal, knowing that it was concluded with the aim of evading immigration laws.

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On 27 on August 2019, Lomtatidze was sentenced for conspiring to commit fraud in marriage by United States District Judge Louise Flanagan. He was also ordered to be deported from the United States. On the same day, Melissa Godshall was sentenced to four months in prison.

On 19 of June 2019 of the year and 11 of July of the 2019 of the year Kennerly and Ragimov pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to immigrate fraud through fictitious marriage. They are currently awaiting sentencing.

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