RALEIGH, N.C. — A sergeant and a personal at Fort Bragg sought to prepare sham marriages between soldiers and immigrants, providing money, housing advantages and furniture as motivation for possible brides, relating to federal court papers.
Arrest warrants had been given a week ago for Sgt. Edward Kumi Anguah, referred to as “the facilitator” for the conspiracy, and Pvt. Ahmid Mohammed-Murtada, a recently naturalized resident from Ghana serving in a Fort Bragg Army device, court public records reveal.
The research started in when an agent for the Department of Homeland Security interviewed Pvt december. Endasia East about having an event with a soldier that is single married to Sulemana Ibrahim, in accordance with a unlawful grievance filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of new york.
Throughout that interview, ” the marriage had been verified by her was in reality fraudulent,” in accordance with court public records.
On its site, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services claims it generally does not recognize “relationships entered into for purposes of evading immigration laws and regulations.”
Mohammed, as he is known as in court public records, served in identical device with East and approached her about marrying Ibrahim, who desired to gain legal permanent residence, an affidavit stated. Court public records reveal Ibrahim had been a resident of Ghana located in nyc for a tourist visa that expired in July 2018.
Within the deal, East would be to be given a Basic Housing Allowance stipend, typically $1,000 or maybe more, 8 weeks’ lease totaling $1,250 and furniture for a brand new apartment that is off-post.
East and Ibrahim married during the Cumberland County Courthouse in July, then East went along to supper with Anguah, whom stated he arranged numerous marriages that are fraudulent the affidavit stated.
“She ended up being told through Sgt. Anguah and personal Mohammed that she would have to stage photos with Ibrahim so as to make the wedding look legitimate,” based on court papers.
The 2 soldiers additionally instructed East to put Ibrahim on the apartment rent to offer the look he lived in Fayetteville as opposed to ny, documents said. She additionally included him to solution member life insurance policies papers.
“Private East stated Sgt. Anguah had expected her for him to arrange marriages to,” the affidavit said if she was willing to find additional soldiers. “She told Sgt. Anguah she could be regarding the search.”
East later called Anguah and talked about a friend “interested in doing the same task that i am doing with Ibrahim,” documents said, to which Anguah replied, “Yeah.”
In January, an officer that is undercover Anguah at a Starbucks in Fayetteville and told him she desired $800 to marry an immigrant, and Anguah proposed $2,000 rather. Later on, the affidavit stated, he shared with her he ended up being planning to get $6,000 and simply take a cut.
“Sgt. Anguah claimed he’d care for the band and ‘everything,'” the affidavit stated.
On Anguah called the agent with a man who identified himself as Kwaphoom Eugene Hoomkwap on the line monday. Regarding the phone, Hoomkwap stated he desired to log off operate in New York to obtain married in Fayetteville, court public records stated.
On Thursday, they met during the Fayetteville courthouse for the wedding permit.
Federal arrest warrants had been released Thursday for Hoomkwap, Ibrahim, Mohammed-Murtada and Anguah on fees of wedding fraudulence, abuse of visas and aiding and abetting.