Peter Hicks, Marriage Fraud, Massachusetts 2018

A Worcester man has been sentenced for his role in a marriage fraud scheme that allowed him to evade immigration laws.

Peter Hicks, 57, was sentenced to two years of probation by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman for entering into six fraudulent marriages between 2003 and 2013.

Hicks admitted to marrying three of the women solely to obtain immigration benefits for them. He also admitted to being paid to recruit people for fraudulent marriages and to receiving payments to marry undocumented African women and to find willing United States citizens to marry illegal aliens.

In addition, Hicks was still married to one spouse at the time of his marriage to another spouse, and he fraudulently claimed on an immigration form that he had only one former spouse.

Hicks was arrested in January 2018 and charged with one count of marriage fraud. He pleaded guilty in September 2018 and was released on conditions following an initial appearance.

The marriage fraud scheme was uncovered by federal law enforcement agents in 2014. Hicks filed for immigration benefits for four of his six wives.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Lelling's Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case, which was announced by United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, District 1.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/worcester-man-sentenced-marriage-fraud