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Stamford Man Pleads Guilty To Setting Up Sham Marriages For Immigrants

STAMFORD, Conn. -- A Stamford resident pleaded guilty Wednesday to running an immigration fraud scheme where he set up sham marriages for 50 to 60 European citizens, according to Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

A Stamford resident pleaded guilty to running an extensive immigration scheme where he set up sham marriages between European citizens and U.S. citizens.

A Stamford resident pleaded guilty to running an extensive immigration scheme where he set up sham marriages between European citizens and U.S. citizens.

Photo Credit: File

According to court documents, 52-year-ld David Nikolashvili, a citizen of the Republic of Georgia residing in Stamford, operated the scheme through which he obtained false immigration status from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services for the citizens of European countries.

As part of the scheme, the aliens paid Nikolashvili between $12,000 and $16,000, and he would arrange sham marriages between the aliens and U.S. citizens in order to obtain immigration benefits for the aliens, Daly said. The U.S. citizens were paid to enter into the sham marriages, according to Daly.

Nikolashvili was arrested on June 21, 2016. On Wednesday he pleaded guilty to one count of making a false swearing in an immigration matter, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 27, and is released on a $75,000 bond pending sentencing.

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