Woman on probation for fake marriage

An American woman is to spend three years on probation for marrying a Chinese man just so that he could legally live in the US.

Prosecutors said that Crystal Lanham married Ning Sun in 2004 after being paid to do so by her employer, known as Mr S, who had also arranged the union. Mr S is said to have found Ms Lanham a place to live and given her money in return for marrying Sun.

Mr S is said to have taken Lanham and Sun from Beckley, West Virginia to Pearisburg, Virginia, to get married on July 21st, 2004. Lanham and Sun then prepared fake documents regarding their marriage to be submitted to immigration officials which claimed that they lived together. However, according to prosecutors they did in fact live separately and never intended to set up home together.

The union was found to be fraudulent and conducted only so that the groom could apply to the Immigration and Naturalization Service for permanent resident status, reports the Associated Press. Lanham, 29, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud in July this year.

The Shady Spring, West Virginia resident was sentenced on Monday, October 1st by US District Judge Thomas E Johnston, who ruled that she must spend the first three months of the sentence in home confinement.

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