6 Houston-area residents charged in marriage-fraud scheme
HOUSTON — A nine-count indictment against six Houston-area residents was unsealed Wednesday alleging their roles in a marriage-fraud scheme involving Nigerian nationals.
This indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas, along with Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Houston.
These charges resulted from an investigation by HSI Houston’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Inspector General.
The indictment was returned under seal Feb. 26, and unsealed March 24 as the following four charged Houston residents made their initial appearances in federal court: Shakietha Ann Joseph, 39, Nathan Michael, 36, Trevor Ray Frenney, 39, and Hauwa Bello, 37. At that time, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Milloy ordered them detained pending further criminal proceedings.
Anthony Andrews, 27, also of Houston, is in state custody on unrelated charges and is expected to make his appearance in federal court in the near future.
A final defendant – Anisha Nicole Gable, 33 – is considered a fugitive; a warrant remains outstanding for her arrest. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact HSI at 281-985-0500.
The six defendants allegedly conspired together in connection with a marriage-fraud ring involving arranged “sham” marriages between recruited U.S. citizens and Nigerian nationals. A “sham” marriage is a marriage that is entered into for the primary purpose of circumventing the immigration laws.
“Becoming an American citizen is an honor and a privilege," said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of HSI Houston. "Obtaining citizenship through fraud threatens the integrity of our legal immigration system and is an affront to every person who has played by the rules. HSI special agents will continue to work with our partners to ensure that those who use criminal and dishonorable means to achieve the most honorable of goals are brought to justice.”
The indictment alleges conspirators paid U.S. citizens for entering into fraudulent marriages to Nigerian nationals who had originally entered the country on tourist visas. These conspirators then completed immigration documents and submitted them to USCIS to obtain U.S. permanent resident status, according to the indictment. As part of the conspiracy, the indictment further alleges they took staged photographs of themselves as a couple to document an allegedly meaningful relationship. The conspirators also allegedly coached the recruits and/or the Nigerian nationals on what to say when questioned or interviewed by law enforcement or immigration officials about the legitimate nature of the marriages.
The indictment charges all six with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Gable is also charged with four counts of aiding and abetting marriage fraud; Joseph and Frenney are each charged with two counts of the same allegation. Michael and Bello were also indicted on one count of committing marriage fraud.
Gable allegedly recruited Andrews, Frenney and Joseph to marry Nigerian nationals. The indictment further alleges Bello did knowingly marry Frenney, a U.S. citizen, for the purpose of evading any provision of the immigration laws of the United States. Similarly, Michael allegedly entered into a sham marriage with Joseph, according to the allegations. At the time of their respective marriages, Bello and Michael were natives and citizens of Nigeria and were in the U.S. temporarily on B1/B2 non-immigrant visas.
If convicted on any of the counts as charged, each defendant faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Bennett and Mark Evans, Southern District of Texas, are prosecuting this case.
The indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Updated: