CAMDEN, N.J. — A Cherry Hill man and a Newark woman are facing federal charges after an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark uncovered an alleged sham marriage intended to secure immigration benefits.
Elvis Harizaj, 25, an Albanian national, was charged with marriage fraud. Both Harizaj and his wife, 27-year-old Natasha Flores, a U.S. citizen, were charged with making false statements on immigration forms submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Federal prosecutors allege that Harizaj and Flores misrepresented their living arrangements and personal histories to USCIS. Harizaj allegedly claimed he lived with Flores, while Flores falsely stated she had never been married. Investigators later determined Flores had previously been married to a Brazilian national who also obtained U.S. citizenship through his marriage to her.
The charges were announced May 28 by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Camden. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
ICE warns others of consequences for fraudulent immigration claims
According to investigators, the case highlights ongoing efforts to identify and prosecute those who exploit the U.S. immigration system through false claims and fraudulent marriages. ICE officials say the case is a reminder that marriage fraud is a serious federal offense.
The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
