Six charged in alleged Massachusetts sham-marriage scheme

Federal prosecutors in Massachusetts have charged six people in an alleged scheme that arranged sham marriages to help clients obtain immigration benefits. Prosecutors identify Jennifer Gonzalez as the organizer and say the operation ran for more than a decade. The charges have not been proven in court. Gonzalez, 43, of Fall River, is accused of arranging marriages between clients and U.S. citizens, including paying some citizens to participate. The other defendants are Erica Daniels, Chreise Alejandro, Amara Pugh and Jaylin Hill, all of Fall River, and Jessica Tavares of Attleboro. Prosecutors say Pugh worked as a secretary, while Daniels, Alejandro, Tavares and Hill took part in one or more marriages. Gonzalez, Daniels, Alejandro, Pugh and Tavares were arrested; Hill was already serving a state prison sentence for a firearms offense. According to prosecutors and charging documents, Gonzalez arranged about 18 to 20 sham marriages each year and charged between $38,000 and $40,000 per marriage. Authorities estimate the alleged operation generated more than $6 million over its course. Prosecutors say clients were coached to make the marriages appear genuine by creating records...