Dominican woman charged in Massachusetts over alleged sham marriage network

United States.- A 43-year-old Dominican woman has been charged in Massachusetts for allegedly operating a network that arranged up to 20 sham marriages to help immigrants obtain legal status in the United States.

According to a federal indictment cited by The Associated Press, Jennifer Gonzalez allegedly charged between US$38,000 and US$40,000 per marriage, with the operation running for about a decade and generating millions of dollars for six people.

Federal authorities arrested five of the six defendants Wednesday morning. The sixth was already serving a state prison sentence for a firearms-related offense.

Prosecutors allege Gonzalez paid the other defendants to participate as spouses in the marriages, with some allegedly taking part in multiple ceremonies. Investigators say the weddings were staged to appear legitimate, including formal attire and wedding rings.

The defendants face charges including marriage fraud, conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, harboring undocumented immigrants and conspiracy to harbor undocumented immigrants.

The federal investigation remains ongoing. The immigrants who allegedly participated in the marriages have not been charged.