Essex County Woman Pleads Guilty in Marriage Fraud Scheme to Harbor Non-U.S. Citizens

Regina Johnson, of Newark, admits to orchestrating fraudulent marriages to aid non-U.S. citizens in remaining in the country; sentencing scheduled for December 2023.

Regina Johnson, a 59-year-old woman from Essex County, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit marriage fraud. The scheme involved arranging sham marriages between U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens to enable them to stay in the country illegally.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the guilty plea, which was entered before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court on August 8, 2023. Johnson was charged with one count of conspiracy to harbor non-U.S. citizens through fraudulent marriages, alongside others, including her sister Andrea Torres and Torres' son, Philip Torres.

The Scheme:

From September 2016 to July 2019, Regina Johnson and Andrea Torres facilitated and arranged fraudulent marriages for non-U.S. citizens who sought to remain in the United States without proper legal status or documentation. The sisters recruited U.S. citizen potential spouses, paying them a fee to engage in sham marriages.

Philip Torres, also charged in the superseding indictment, participated by officiating some of these fraudulent unions. Andrea Torres and Johnson organized and charged their clients for wedding ceremonies and after-parties staged to make the marriages appear legitimate. They also advised their clients to open joint bank accounts, meet frequently with their U.S. spouses, and take photos in various locations and outfits to fake the appearance of cohabitation. They further assisted their clients in completing immigration forms to obtain permanent residency on the basis of materially false information.

Penalty: 

The charge of conspiracy to which Johnson pleaded guilty carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Her sentencing is scheduled for December 14, 2023.

Investigation and Representation: 

Special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, led the investigation resulting in the guilty plea, with assistance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sammi Malek and Blake A. Coppotelli are representing the government in this case.

It is essential to note that the charges and allegations in the superseding indictment against Andrea Torres and Philip Torres remain accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case highlights the continuous effort of law enforcement agencies to combat marriage fraud and safeguard the integrity of the immigration system. The success of this case serves as a testament to the commitment of U.S. authorities to prosecute those attempting to exploit legal pathways for unlawful gain.