CHICAGO – A suburban immigration consultant and her accomplice have been arrested after being indicted for allegedly conspiring to arrange fraudulent marriages to evade immigration laws and enable foreign nationals to illegally become U.S. legal permanent residents.
Teresita Zarrabian, 60, a naturalized U.S. citizen who owns Zarrabian and Associates, an immigration consulting business in Arlington Heights, and Michael Smith, 41, of Bellwood, a U.S. citizen, were each charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, marriage fraud, and visa fraud, and Zarrabian was also charged with obstruction of justice in a seven-count indictment that was returned on January 31 and unsealed when they were arrested last Thursday.
According to the indictment, between 2005 and 2012, Zarrabian assisted foreign-born clients complete the necessary forms to become legal permanent residents on the basis of marriage to a U.S. citizen. Clients paid Zarrabian between $8,000 and $15,000 in exchange for arranging fraudulent marriages to U.S. citizens recruited by Zarrabian and Smith, the charges allege.
Zarrabian allegedly paid Smith a portion of the money she received from foreign national clients for Smith’s recruitment of U.S. citizen spouses. In turn, Zarrabian allegedly promised to pay approximately $5,000 to the U.S. citizen spouses for their participation in a sham marriage.
The indictment and arrests were announced today by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Gary J. Hartwig, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago.
If convicted, the defendants each face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and each count of marriage fraud. Visa fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and the obstruction count against Zarrabian carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Iweagwu.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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