Beckley, WV (WOAY)- An Illinois man has been sentenced in connection with a marriage fraud conspiracy aimed at evading U.S. immigration laws.
A court sentenced 33-year-old Joseph Sanchez to five years of federal probation for his role in a scheme designed to help a foreign national unlawfully obtain a Green Card.
According to federal prosecutors, the conspiracy began in August 2021, while Sanchez was living in Greenbrier County.
A foreign national, Aakash Prakash Makwana, an employee at a nearby convenience store, offered Sanchez $10,000 to find someone willing to enter into a sham marriage.
Sanchez arranged for his sister-in-law, Kalee Ann Huff, to marry Makwana in September 2021.
Huff and Makwana had no real relationship beyond casual encounters at the store.
In March 2023, Sanchez traveled with the pair to Pittsburgh, where they attempted to deceive immigration officials into believing the marriage was real.
However, Makwana’s Green Card application was denied.
Makwana has since pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft after falsifying a lease document with a forged name and signature.
He faces sentencing on September 26.
Meanwhile, Kalee Ann Huff pleaded guilty to marriage fraud and perjury in February.
She faces sentencing on June 12.
