Russian National Mariya Chernykh Gets 3 Years Probation In US For Immigration Fraud

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th May, 2021) A US Federal court has sentenced Russian National Mariya Chernykh to three years of probation on charges related to immigration fraud, court documents revealed.

"It is the judgment of the Court that the defendant, Mariya Chernykh, is hereby sentenced to Probation for a term of 36 months, on Counts 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the indictment, to be served concurrently," the court documents said on Thursday.

Chernykh pleaded guilty to federal immigration fraud charges in January 2017. She reportedly was in a sham marriage with US citizen Enrique Marquez in order to obtain immigration benefits.

Chernykh made false statements in her immigration documents, paid Marquez for participating in the scheme and made false material statements in interviews with FBI agents.

Chernykh faced up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. She must also pay a fine of $400, according to the court documents.

Chernykh is the sister-in-law of the San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook, who, along with his wife, killed 14 people and injured 22 others in a terrorist attack at the Inland Regional Center in California on December 2, 2015.