Sicklerville Woman Organized Sham Marriages To Aid Undocumented Immigrants: Feds

BALTIMORE, MD — A Sicklerville woman was indicted in February after federal authorities say she orchestrated a scheme for undocumented immigrants in Maryland to enter sham marriages.

Shawnta Hopper was 1 of 4 women indicted in the alleged conspiracy, which also led to the arrest of 10 immigrants on Thursday.

Hopper and three New York City women were paid to facilitate the fraudulent marriages so the undocumented immigrants could obtain benefits, including legal immigration status, authorities said on Friday.

She and her three co-defendants were charged Feb. 5 with conspiracy to commit visa fraud and marriage fraud.

Additionally, 10 other people were arrested and had their immigration benefits revoked as part of the investigation, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"Hopper encouraged several U.S. citizens to participate in fraudulent marriages with foreign nationals for financial gain," ICE said in a news release. "She received compensation for recruiting women in Baltimore and other locations to enter into these sham marriages."

The defendants encouraged U.S. citizens to engage in "fake romances" with undocumented immigrants, according to the indictment. The indictment outlines several allegedly fraudulent marriages from late 2020 to late 2023.

In one case, Hopper recruited and promised to pay a U.S. citizen from Maryland to enter a sham marriage with an undocumented immigration, the indictment says. Hopper received copies of the citizen's birth certificate and social security card to prepare a false application for immigration benefits, according to court documents.

Then, the immigrant paid one of Hopper's co-defendants thousands of dollars to facilitate the marriage and prepare false applications, the indictment says.

"The defendants' greed led them to concoct an illegal-marriage scheme that compromises the integrity of our immigration system," said Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.

Patch contacted Hopper's listed attorney for comment but didn't immediately receive a response.