Lithuanian MMA fighter, 27, who was bogus bride for sham wedding gang that made £500k is spared jail

Erika Vorobjova, 27, admitted taking part in a marriage of convenience with a Pakistani national called Uzair Ahmed in October 2013, the Old Bailey heard.

She was part of a gang led by by Sainsbury's workers Ayaz Khan, 33, and wife Jurgita Pavlovskyte, 26, who arranged at least 13 fake weddings.

The matchmakers arranged for Asian men to meet Eastern European brides who could rarely speak to each other.

During the nuptials they had to resort to using the Google translate app before they exchanged their vows.

The bogus bride was the last gang member to be sentenced after admitting assisting unlawful immigration three days into her trial.

Vorobjova, of Walworth, south east London, was given a 16-month custodial sentence suspended for two years.

BOGUS BRIDE

John Dye, defending, said the promising fighter pleaded guilty very late on "because she was petrified of the consequences" after moving to the UK five years ago speaking no English.

Judge Mark Lucraft, QC, said: "In April 2018 Judge Rebecca Poulet QC sentenced Ayaz Khan, Jurgita Pavlovskyte and several others who between 2011 and 2015 operated a conspiracy to assist in the unlawful immigration of non-EU nationals in the UK for profit.

"The system involved the pairing of male Pakistani nationals to female Lithuanian females for the purpose of what is called a sham marriage or a marriage of convenience.

"As Judge Poulet noted, I note too, a genuine marriage to an EU national who is living in the UK can confer permanent residence on the non-EU national spouse.

"These marriages therefore ostensibly permitted the male non-EU national to apply for a residence card in the UK by reason of their marriage to an EU national.

"This process involves satisfying the Home Office that the EU national is exercising their treaty rights.

"If the application is granted the residence card gives the successful applicant the right to live and work in the UK."

SHAM MARRIAGES

The gang used photographs of the "happy couples" together with forged job offers to convince officials to grant residency to grooms from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

Khan, from Pakistan, ran the groom side of the business, while his Lithuanian wife was responsible for finding the brides.

The grooms – 11 from Pakistan, one from India and one from Bangladesh – were all "desperate" to stay in the UK after their student visas expired.

Khan and Pavlovskyte facilitated the commission of a series of at least 12 breaches over a period of nearly four years and netted at least £500,000.

Khan was jailed for six years in April last year while Pavlovskyte, who was then 37 weeks pregnant, was given five years.

Earlier this week fake husbands Zia Uddin, 34, and Ameen Ul Haq, 31, were jailed for 18 months and two-and-a-half-years respectively.

Uddin was convicted of seeking to secure the avoidance of an enforcement action following a separate trial this month.

Ul Haq failed to attend the trial and was convicted in his absence of an identical offence in addition to obtaining leave by deception. His current whereabouts are unknown.

Both are expected to be deported as a result of their sentences.

Source: Read Full Article