Engilbert Ulan, 42, a Philippine national, is now convicted for scheming the system with his sham marriage operation that guaranteed non-citizens a fraudulent marriage along with a green card. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston, Ulan orchestrated over 300 fake unions through a bogus "agency" for the sole purpose of dodging U.S. immigration laws.
The authorities caught onto the act after Ulan and his cadre of conspirators—11 in total—got sloppy, leaving a paper trail of fake "I do's" starting in 2019. Convicted of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration document fraud, Ulan's legal binds tighten as he awaits a March 6, 2024 sentencing. His partner-in-crime, Marcialito "Mars" Benitez, has already pleaded guilty, and his day of reckoning is set for January 10, 2024.
As the defendant observed monetary gains, they managed to accrue a sum ranging from $20,000 to $30,000 in cash for each fraudulent arrangement. "Marriage fraud is a serious offense that undermines the foundation of our nation’s immigration system. Mr. Ulan and his co-conspirators not only exploited our immigration system for personal gain but also compromised the United States’ principles of welcoming immigrants and prospective citizens. The swift and decisive enforcement action taken in this case reflects our commitment to preserving the integrity of the immigration process and upholding the values that have defined this nation.”, acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy remarked about Ulan's underhanded endeavors. "Mr. Ulan played a key role in operating a fraudulent marriage 'agency' that arranged over 300 sham marriages that aimed to subvert immigration laws."
"It is the utmost honor and privilege to become an American citizen, but Engilbert Ulan made an absolute sham of that process. Mr. Ulan and his co-conspirators broke immigration laws that are in place to protect public safety and created an unfair disadvantage for those seeking to earn their citizenship lawfully," said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division.
Ulan's apartment even became a postal prop, rented out to foreign nationals needing a local address to bolster their battered applications.
Ulan becomes the tenth individual to face the consequences of the legal proceedings in this case, following nine others who pleaded guilty earlier. Now confronting the prospect of a five-year prison sentence, three years under supervised release, and a fine of a quarter of a million dollars.
