Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PATRICIO MILINIK, 43, a citizen of Argentina residing in Greenwich, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to making a false statement during an immigration matter.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) granted conditional permanent resident status to Milinik after he had married a U.S. citizen in 2015. In 2018, Milinik petitioned to have the conditions removed to allow him to become a lawful permanent resident and obtain a “green card.” While his petition was pending, a USCIS immigration officer and HSI special agent visited Milinik and his then-wife at their residence. During the visit, the immigration officer asked Milinik whether there had been any periods of separation from his wife during their marriage. Milinik falsely denied any period of separation with the exception of occasion work-related travel.
The investigation revealed that Milinik and his then-wife were separated for several periods during their marriage, and that Milinik had communicated with several individuals expressing that he was not in a bona fide marriage and that he only stayed married to his wife in order to obtain his green card.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for January 3, 2022, at which time Milinik faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Milinik is released pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Nancy V. Gifford.
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