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Five foreign nationals were found guilty Monday by the Larnaca Criminal Court for their role in an international sham marriage ring that helped dozens of non-EU nationals gain illegal entry and residency in Cyprus.
The court found the defendants guilty on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit a felony, aiding and abetting illegal entry and residence, participation in a criminal organization, fraud, and money laundering. The case is one of the largest of its kind in Cyprus in recent years.
The sentencing hearing is set for Friday, and the five defendants will remain in custody until then.
132 fake marriages across Cyprus
The case dates back to November 2020, when Portuguese authorities alerted Cyprus to a suspicious pattern: men and women from Portugal and Latvia were flying to Cyprus to marry third-country nationals, mostly from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
An investigation team was quickly formed in Cyprus and worked in coordination with Europol, Eurojust, and law enforcement agencies in Portugal and Latvia. According to authorities, the network arranged at least 132 fake marriages across the island.
The marriages were not genuine, investigators said, but were orchestrated to help non-EU citizens gain residency rights and move freely within the European Union.
Europe-wide arrests
A joint operation was carried out on January 29, 2024, in Cyprus, Portugal, and Latvia, leading to the arrest of 15 foreign nationals, including suspected ringleaders. Additional European arrest warrants were issued for three suspects outside of Cyprus, and national warrants were issued for others still on the island.
While the five who were convicted on Monday faced trial in the Larnaca Criminal Court, other individuals connected to the scheme, including some of the grooms, are facing separate proceedings at the Larnaca District Court.
The network targeted vulnerable or financially desperate individuals in EU countries and paid them to enter marriages of convenience with third-country nationals looking to bypass immigration laws.
Officials have not ruled out further arrests or charges as the investigation continues.
