A federal judge has sentenced a Baltimore pastor to 18 months in prison for orchestrating a massive visa marriage scam in Maryland.
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman handed down the 18-month prison sentence to Joshua Shonubi, a 59-year-old pastor from Bowie, Maryland. Shonubi was found guilty of conspiracy to commit visa and marriage fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft.
According to investigators, Shonubi used his position at New Life City Church to recruit church members who were U.S. citizens to marry foreign nationals for financial compensation. He accepted payment from the foreign nationals for facilitating these marriages.
Shonubi created false documentation and submitted it to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to make the fraudulent marriages appear legitimate. He also submitted fake leases and pay stubs to support the ruse.
Between June 2008 and June 2021, Shonubi facilitated over 60 fraudulent marriages and submitted well over 100 fraudulent documents in support of his scheme.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for their work in the investigation. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn for prosecuting the case.
The case serves as a reminder of the ongoing threat of visa marriage scams and the importance of protecting our nation’s immigration system from exploitation.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Crime in Maryland
- Source: Official Source ↗
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