PG County man sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiracy to commit visa and marriage fraud – Southern Maryland News Net

Defendant allegedly facilitated 60 marriages of convenience and submitted more than 100 fraudulent documents to achieve his plan

U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Joshua Shonubi, age 59, of Bowie, Maryland, on federal charges of conspiracy to commit visa and marriage fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Ron Rosenberg, district director of the Washington District Office of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

According to the guilty plea, the defendant, who was a pastor at New Life City Church, used his position of trust to recruit church members who were U.S. citizens to marry foreign nationals for financial compensation. Defendant accepted payment from the aliens for facilitating these marriages.

Defendant used his role as a pastor to recruit and prepare economically disadvantaged U.S. citizens to marry these foreigners and then sponsor them for permanent residence in the United States.

In furtherance of the fraud, defendant prepared false documentation and submitted it to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services so that the fraudulent marriage would be accepted and the alien could apply for lawful permanent residency, and later, U.S. citizenship.

The defendant submitted, among other things, letters written on his church’s stationery in which he claimed under oath that he had performed and conducted the weddings himself. Defendant also obtained and submitted fraudulent lease agreements and pay stubs to support the facade that the marriage between the U.S. citizen and the alien was legitimate.

Between June 2008 and June 2021, the defendant facilitated more than 60 fraudulent marriages and submitted more than 100 fraudulent documents in support of his scheme.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI and USCIS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn, who prosecuted the federal case.

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