Miami INS official charged with arranging sham marriages

Doglips · 02-26-2003, 07:07 AM

Maybe one day....we will have goverment emplyees on OUR side for a change.

Miami INS official charged with arranging sham marriages

Associated Press
Posted February 25 2003, 11:46 AM EST

Miami INS official charged with arranging sham marriages trmih-ts MIAMI -- A U.S. immigration agent and another man have been charged with arranging sham marriages so immigrants could obtain permanent residency.

Immigration and Naturalization Service agent Jose Luis Cintron, 47, and Guillermo Rico, 50, made their initial appearances Monday in federal court.

Cintron has been released on $150,000 bond and returns to court for arraignment March 10. Rico remained in jail Tuesday pending a Thursday bond hearing. Neither man has been assigned an attorney.

A message left at Cintron's home Tuesday was not immediately returned.

Law enforcement officials received information last July alleging that Rico and Cintron were arranging the sham marriages.

Typically, a non-Cuban Hispanic with U.S. residency would marry a Cuban national solely to gain legal status, according to an arrest complaint.

Rico, a paralegal, would meet with people seeking residency cards and assure them that he would arrange their sham marriage and Cintron would handle their INS paperwork. Rico charged a $10,000 fee, keeping $4,000.

He would then pay Cintron and the sham spouse $3,000 each, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami. INS agents seized $100,000 from each man's home while executing arrest warrants last Friday.

Cintron would approve applications and change the person's status to legal resident without making the person first submit to the usual series of rigorous interviews, officials allege.

John Woods, the INS section chief in Miami, said Cintron has been involved in at least 500 cases since he began reviewing residency applications in 1999.

``We're looking at everything he touched,'' Woods said.

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02-26-2003, 07:07 AM	#1
Doglips Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cocoa Florida Posts: 9,089	Miami INS official charged with arranging sham marriages Maybe one day....we will have goverment emplyees on OUR side for a change. Miami INS official charged with arranging sham marriages Associated Press Posted February 25 2003, 11:46 AM EST Miami INS official charged with arranging sham marriages trmih-ts MIAMI -- A U.S. immigration agent and another man have been charged with arranging sham marriages so immigrants could obtain permanent residency. Immigration and Naturalization Service agent Jose Luis Cintron, 47, and Guillermo Rico, 50, made their initial appearances Monday in federal court. Cintron has been released on $150,000 bond and returns to court for arraignment March 10. Rico remained in jail Tuesday pending a Thursday bond hearing. Neither man has been assigned an attorney. A message left at Cintron's home Tuesday was not immediately returned. Law enforcement officials received information last July alleging that Rico and Cintron were arranging the sham marriages. Typically, a non-Cuban Hispanic with U.S. residency would marry a Cuban national solely to gain legal status, according to an arrest complaint. Rico, a paralegal, would meet with people seeking residency cards and assure them that he would arrange their sham marriage and Cintron would handle their INS paperwork. Rico charged a $10,000 fee, keeping $4,000. He would then pay Cintron and the sham spouse $3,000 each, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami. INS agents seized $100,000 from each man's home while executing arrest warrants last Friday. Cintron would approve applications and change the person's status to legal resident without making the person first submit to the usual series of rigorous interviews, officials allege. John Woods, the INS section chief in Miami, said Cintron has been involved in at least 500 cases since he began reviewing residency applications in 1999. ``We're looking at everything he touched,'' Woods said. Email story Print story MORE HEADLINES Scientists to use bird droppings in Florida Keys sea grass restoration project Filing date for vets, seniors draws near Dense fog blankets roads around S. Florida, diverts Miami flights Copyright © 2003, South Florida Sun-Sentinel