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Federal agents arrest 2 in alleged fake marriage
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Posted on Nov 26 2013
Federal agents have arrested two persons who allegedly defrauded the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services by engaging in a fake marriage.
Xiaoying Tang Dowai and Jesse J. T. Dowai were arrested after an
indictment was filed in the U.S. District Court for the NMI charging them with conspiracy to commit visa fraud and to defraud the U.S., visa fraud, and false document.
The indictment was filed last Oct. 22, but was unsealed only yesterday.
Xiaoying Dowai was arrested last week, while Jesse Dowai was apprehended on Monday.
The defendants, through their court-appointed counsels, pleaded not guilty.
Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona allowed the temporary release of the defendants upon the posting of $10,000 each in unsecured bond.
Jury trial will be on Jan. 27, 2014.
According to the indictment, on Sept. 3, 2009, the defendants were married on Saipan. On Sept. 28, 2011, Jesse Dowai executed a Form I-130 containing false information, while on that same day Xiaoying Dowai executed a Form I-485 containing false information.
A U.S. citizen who wanted their foreign-born national spouse to attain legal permanent resident status on the basis of their marriage was required to complete and submit to USCIS Form I-130, or the “Petition for Alien Relative.”
On the other hand, a foreign-born national who sought legal permanent resident status on the basis of marriage to a U.S. citizen was, in turn, required to complete and submit to USCIS a Form I-485 or the “Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.”
Jesse Dowai stated in the Form I-130 that the last address at which he and his wife had “lived together” was “Mc Arthur St., Gualo Rai, Saipan, MP 96950.”
According to the indictment, the defendants knew the statement was false and fraudulent, in that they had never lived together.
Xiaoying Dowai allegedly falsely certified in the Form I-485 that as of February 2012, she and Jesse Dowai had been living together in an apartment on “McArthur Street, Gualo Rai, Saipan.”
Xiaoying Dowai also stated that after marrying Jesse Dowai, she moved with him “into an apartment in Garapan,” where they lived “for seven months.”
The indictment alleges that Xiaoying had never lived with Jesse Dowai.
