Latino State News
Maria Cruz Guilty of Arranging 27 Sham Marriages for Immigrants Seeking Citizenship
For arranging marriages for immigrants looking to gain citizenship, Maria Cruz has been sentenced to 2 years and nine months.
A 2009 investigation found that Cruz, an immigrant herself, was one many involved in a marriage fraud scheme, and one of 10 people to plead guilty.
Prosecutors claimed Cruz, formerly of Chicago, was recruiting citizens to act as spouses for immigrants looking to gain U.S. citizenship. She reportedly arranged 27 marriages and received $1,000 to $3,000 for each.
