An Albanian national and his American wife have been charged with making false statements to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as announced by U.S. Attorney Alina Habba in Camden, New Jersey.
Elvis Harizaj, 25, from Cherry Hill, and Natasha Flores, 27, from Newark, are accused of submitting fraudulent information on USCIS forms. According to court documents and statements, Harizaj allegedly entered into a sham marriage with Flores to obtain permanent residency in the United States. It is claimed that Harizaj falsely declared cohabitation with Flores while she misrepresented her marital history. Specifically, Flores had been previously married to a Brazilian national who gained U.S. citizenship through their marriage.
Harizaj faces additional charges of marriage fraud. Both offenses carry potential penalties of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by special agents from Homeland Security Investigations under Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel's direction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane in Camden.
It is important to note that the charges and allegations outlined in the complaint are accusations at this stage; both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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