BALTIMORE, MD—Four individuals are facing federal charges for their involvement in facilitating visa and marriage fraud, according to an announcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Maryland. The investigation, conducted in collaboration with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Maryland, led to the arrests of Ella Zuran, 65, Tatiana Sigal, 74, and Alexandra Tkach, 41, all from New York City, New York, and Shawnta Hopper, 33, of Sicklerville, New Jersey.
The charges stem from an investigation initiated in April 2022 by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Maryland’s Document and Benefit Fraud/El Dorado Task Force, in conjunction with USCIS’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security. The investigation focused on individuals suspected of entering into fraudulent marriages with foreign nationals to secure immigration benefits.
Interviews with U.S. citizen petitioners revealed their participation in the scheme, for which they received financial compensation. The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of Zuran, Sigal, and Tkach in March 2025. These individuals were allegedly involved in orchestrating fraudulent marriage schemes, charging thousands of dollars for facilitating introductions to U.S. citizens and arranging sham weddings. They also prepared false immigration documents, including fake health status attestations, for their clients…