Feds Bust Sham Craigslist Marriage

Russian woman looking for green card found hubby in ad
By Sam Gale Rosen,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 7, 2007 1:55 PM CST
Feds Bust Sham Craigslist Marriage
   (Shutterstock.com)

It was a match made not in heaven but on Craigslist, and the Russian bride and American groom are charged with staging a sham marriage to get her a green card. The woman posted not-so-subtle ads: "Green Card Marriage—Will Pay $300/Month. Total $15,000," the LA Times reports. She got a taker, along with the attention of customs officials.

"I'd say it's a fairly blatant example of marriage fraud," says one prosecutor. Yuliya Kalinina married Benjamin C. Adams in name only, leased him a car as payment, and continued to live in LA with her boyfriend for 2 years before the feds made their move. Her lawyer says she didn't know it was illegal, but she she faces deportation and 6 months in jail. (More green card stories.)

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