A 58-year-old woman was sentenced to 22 months’ imprisonment yesterday for arranging bogus marriages between Hong Kong and mainland residents.
She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud at the District Court.
The woman was the “mastermind” behind a syndicate that was recruiting young people to participate in sham marriages.
The authorities identified the crime ring in July last year, seizing Hong Kong and mainland marriage certificates as well as birth certificates.
The investigation led to the arrests of 61 Hong Kong and mainland residents aged between 21 and 58, with the authorities warning that more may be made as the investigation continues.
The 33 women and 28 men arrested included the 58-year-old mastermind and three “core members” of the syndicate, all four of which are Hong Kong residents.
Out of the 61 arrestees, 17 were convicted and 12 were sentenced to between 8 and 22 months of jail.
“The immigration department will continue to spare no effort in combating bogus marriages and other related illicit activities,” said an immigration department spokesman.
He added that those who have obtained their residence status in Hong Kong through fraudulent means will be sent back to where they came from, with their ID cards and residency revoked.
So if you haven’t been able to find a job or get a work visa… don’t start getting too creative with how you procure an HKID.
Photo: Oliver Li via Flickr
