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Elisabet Kerese Alvarez, 39, Convicted in Marriage Fraud Conspiracy
A Venezuelan national has been convicted by a federal jury for participating in a marriage fraud conspiracy in Florida. Elisabet Kerese Alvarez, of Doral, was found guilty of conspiring to defraud the United States and marriage fraud.
According to court records, in April 2014, Alvarez paid thousands of dollars in cash to organizers Odalys Marrero and Rolando Mulet of Miami to recruit a Cuban citizen to enter into a fraudulent marriage with her. The agreement anticipated the completion of an immigration application to be submitted to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in order for Alvarez to obtain lawful permanent residency in the United States.
The evidence presented during the three-week trial established that Alvarez paid tens of thousands of dollars to enter into a fraudulent marriage. Ten of the co-conspirators in the fourteen-defendant indictment previously pled guilty for their participation in the fraudulent scheme. Those defendants, including Venezuelan and Colombian nationals, each paid tens of thousands of dollars to enter into fraudulent marriages with co-conspirator Cuban nationals.
Alvarez faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison as to the conspiracy charge and a statutory maximum of five years in prison as to the marriage fraud conviction. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2016.
US Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI, while also recognizing USCIS for the significant and valuable support the agency provided the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anne P. McNamara and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michele Vigilance.
The case is being prosecuted in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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