Five found guilty in Cyprus-based fake marriage ring

Five individuals arrested in a Europe-wide operation targeting an international fake marriage ring centered in Cyprus were found guilty on Tuesday by the Larnaca Criminal Court.

The court identified the ringleader as a 40-year-old Pakistani man, assisted by his 45-year-old Portuguese wife who was responsible for recruiting brides. Two Indian nationals, aged 38 and 26, were also found to be members of the network operating in Cyprus, while a third Indian man took part in a sham marriage.

In connection with the same case, 11 men and one woman are currently on trial before the Larnaca District Court for participating in fake marriages.

Police investigations revealed that 132 fraudulent marriages between EU citizens and third-country nationals had taken place in Cyprus, generating over €1 million in revenue.

Four of the convicted individuals were found guilty on six charges, including conspiracy to commit a felony, assisting illegal entry, transit and stay in the Republic, involvement in a criminal organisation, participation in and acceptance of criminal acts, conspiracy to defraud, and money laundering.

The fifth defendant was convicted of obtaining official registration through false representation.

The case came to light on January 29, 2024, following a coordinated operation involving Cyprus, Portugal, and Latvia. Authorities in Cyprus were initially alerted in November 2020. After extensive investigations, they discovered that mostly Portuguese and Latvian women were traveling to Cyprus to enter into fake marriages with non-EU nationals seeking residence permits, before moving on to other European countries.

Three foreign women testified via teleconference during the trial, with their statements considered credible by the court.

Sentencing hearings are scheduled for July 25. Until then, all five defendants will remain in custody.