One of the 10 people in Connecticut charged with setting up fraudulent marriages to help Moroccan nationals come into the United States was sentenced to three months in pison, time served.
Federal Homeland Security agents began an investigation into the marriage scheme in November, 2010.
According to court documents, Bahija Saadoun, of West Haven, recruited a coworker, Dawn Peck, of Madison, to marry her brother-in-law, Khalid Kassem so he could immigrate to the United States.
Saadoun provided Peck with an all-expense paid trip to Morocco and $6,000 cash and Peck signed a fraudulent Alien Fiancé Petition and, based on the fraudulent petition, Citizenship and Naturalization Services granted Kassem a conditional green card, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
On Nov. 2, Kassem pleaded guilty to one count of making a false swearing in an immigration matter. He has been detained since his arrest on Oct. 6 and will be deported to Morocco.
Saadoun and Peck have each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and await sentencing.
