RIVERSIDE, California – Syed Raheel Farook, the brother of deceased San Bernardino attacker Syed Rizwan Farook, has pleaded guilty to immigration fraud charges in federal court. On November 13, 2023, Farook is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Jesus Bernal.
Syed Raheel Farook, 31, of Corona, California, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud. As a result of today’s guilty plea, Farook faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
The indictment alleges that, beginning in late 2014 and continuing through February 2016, Farook conspired with Enrique Marquez Jr. to obtain immigration benefits for Mariyah Chernykh by arranging and carrying out a fraudulent marriage between Chernykh, a Russian citizen, and Marquez, a United States citizen. The conspirators allegedly made false statements in immigration documents submitted on Chernykh’s behalf.
Marquez was charged in a separate federal indictment with participating in the marriage fraud scheme, as well as plotting with San Bernardino attacker Syed Rizwan Farook in 2011 and 2012 to carry out attacks in the Inland Empire. Marquez is also charged with supplying two firearms that Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfin Malik, later used in the San Bernardino attack and during the shootout with law enforcement that ended in the couple’s death.
“Today’s guilty plea is the result of the thorough investigation into the brutal attack in San Bernardino that took the lives of 14 innocent Americans and tragically affected many more shooting victims and family members,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Law enforcement and prosecutors in my office continue to seek justice for the victims and the entire community of San Bernardino by uncovering and prosecuting all of the criminal activity related to the terrible events of December 2.
Syed Raheel Farook, Defendant, is charged with: Conspiracy to commit immigration fraud. He is expected to be sentenced on November 13, 2023. The case is a result of an investigation by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, HSI Los Angeles, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.”
The case is a stark reminder that immigration benefit fraud is a serious crime. When people use false or misleading information in order to obtain an immigration benefit for themselves or others, it creates a security vulnerability that could be exploited by criminals and other individuals who pose a serious danger to our community, said Joseph Macias, special agent in charge for HSI Los Angeles.
Syed Raheel Farook is the brother of Syed Rizwan Farook, who was involved in the 2015 San Bernardino terror attack. The case is a complex web of deceit and corruption that has left many questions unanswered. The guilty plea is a significant step towards justice for the victims and their families.
This article is part of a series on the ongoing investigation into the San Bernardino terror attack and its aftermath. Stay tuned for more updates and developments in this case.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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