More arrests in fake marriage scams

A MAN posing as a lawyer has been arrested in connection with an alleged fake marriage that took place last year, police said yesterday.

A 27-year-old Russian man involved in the case has been remanded in custody for six days.

The case was discovered by the immigration service last Sunday.

The Russian national, Devin Garston is accused of staging a marriage of convenience with a Lithuanian woman on April 7.

The suspect had previously forged a state document in a bid to remain in Cyprus and then presented it to the municipality where the wedding took place.

Police said the suspect, who denies all charges, allegedly entered Cyprus illegally in August last year.

For the same case, authorities also arrested a 45-year-old man who posed as a lawyer. He is being investigated for drafting and circulating a forged document aiming to aid the suspect in staging a fake marriage.

Police said the Russian man alleged that he “hired the ‘lawyer’ and paid him €1,000 to arrange all the documents, including the forged one.”

“It was determined that the forged document was presented by the 45-year-old himself to the municipality where the wedding took place, “Larnaca police spokesman Christos Andreou said.

The man denies any wrongdoing.

Meanwhile a Nicosia lawyer has been arrested on Thursday and questioned over the alleged fake marriage between an Indian man and a Bulgarian woman last year.

The man allegedly paid the 40-year-old female lawyer €6.500 and she in turn gave the Bulgarian bride €2,500.

The lawyer denies any involvement.

The Indian man and the Bulgarian bride were charged and then released.

Police said the marriages took place at the same municipality and “there are a lot of questions concerning the reasons why they were held there.”

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