A New York woman has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit immigration marriage fraud, a crime that allows individuals to gain permanent residency in the United States through sham marriages.
Audrey Bonet Johnson, 34, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court on October 1, 2021, to conspiracy to commit immigration marriage fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson and Shanon St. Aubyn Stephenson, a citizen of Jamaica, entered into a fraudulent marriage on March 1, 2012. Shortly thereafter, Johnson and Stephenson applied to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service for Stephenson to become a lawful permanent resident of the U.S.
Johnson and Stephenson claimed to be married and living together in Brooklyn, New York, but in fact, Stephenson married Jodian Stephenson, also known as Jodian Gordon, in 2010, and lived with her in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford on January 4, 2022, at which time she faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
This investigation revealed that Jodian Stephenson, a citizen of Jamaica, operated Stephenson Immigration and Legal Services, LLC, in Bridgeport. Between 2011 and 2017, she conspired with others to arrange 28 sham marriages between U.S. citizens and non-citizens residing in the U.S. for the purpose of the non-citizens’ applying for and obtaining green cards.
Jodian Stephenson typically charged between $17,000 and $20,000 to complete this process for a non-citizen, and the citizen spouse received between $2,000 and $4,000 for his or her participation.
A total of 10 individuals were charged as a result of this investigation, and all pleaded guilty. Removal proceedings have been or are being commenced against all individuals whose green card applications were found to have been based on sham marriages.
The investigation has been conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry K. Kopel.
Audrey Bonet Johnson, Defendant
Crime: Conspiracy to commit immigration marriage fraud
City and State: New Haven, Connecticut
Date: October 1, 2021
Sentence: Scheduled to be sentenced on January 4, 2022, facing up to 5 years in prison
Dollar Amounts: No dollar amounts applicable
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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