‘Sham marriage syndicate that tried to obtain 164 visas for foreigners in fake relationships’ is busted by police

  • A man allegedly tried to obtain visas for foreigners in fake romantic relationships
  • The head of the alleged syndicate, 32,  attempted to obtain a total of 164 visas
  • Women were offered large sums of money if they agreed to marry a foreigner
  • The vulnerable women exploited often came from disadvantaged backgrounds 

Published: 23:32 EDT, 31 October 2018 | Updated: 23:36 EDT, 31 October 2018

A sham marriage syndicate that allegedly tried to obtain 164 visas for foreigners in fake romantic relationships has been busted by police.

The visas allegedly organised by Jagjit Singh, 32, were declined by the Australian Border Force after the documents were linked to this syndicate operating in Sydney.

Vulnerable young women were approached on social media and offered large sums of money if they agreed to marry a foreigner wanting to enter Australia.

Jagjit Singh (pictured) was the alleged head of the sham marriage syndicate operating in Sydney

Jagjit Singh (pictured) was the alleged head of the sham marriage syndicate operating in Sydney

'Non-citizens seeking to live in Australia who had exhausted all other options to remain lawfully were paying a significant amount of money to enter into a fake marriage,' Australian Border Force Investigations commander Clinton Sims told The Daily Telegraph. 

Many of the women allegedly exploited by the syndicate came from disadvantaged backgrounds, have suffered substance abuse and a history of family and financial hardship. 

Mr Singh appeared at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday charged with arranging four fake marriages in order to obtain residency in Australia between May 2013 and and February 2015. 

But the alleged head of the syndicate said outside court he will be defending the charges made against him. 

Many of the women exploited came from disadvantaged backgrounds, have suffered substance abuse and have a history of family and financial hardship

'I don't know the guy who was arranging these things, I am just sometimes helping them,' he said. 

Four Sydney women in their 20s also appeared in court charged with one count each of aiding, abetting or procuring the arrangement of a marriage to help foreigners gain Australian residency. 

Nicole Flower, 25, pleaded guilty to helping arrange a sham marriages in December 2013 and will face court next month.

Two sisters from the Central Coast of New South Wales Brooke and Jordan-Lee Evans, aged 21 and 24, did not enter pleas. 

The Evans sisters allegedly assisted two fake marriages to obtain a visa in February 2015. 

Police will allege Casula woman Suzanne Akkari, 24, helped arrange a fake marriage in May 2013.   

A sham marriage syndicate who allegedly tried to obtain 164 visas for foreigners in fake romantic relationships has been caught by police

A sham marriage syndicate who allegedly tried to obtain 164 visas for foreigners in fake romantic relationships has been caught by police

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Man that tried to obtain 164 visas for foreigners in fake relationships is busted by police

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