Ukrainian Woman Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Commit Marriage Fraud

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Natalia Polkowski, 29, of the Ukraine, pled guilty today in federal court in Syracuse to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Brian Devine, Resident Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Syracuse, New York.

As part of her guilty plea, Natalia Polkowski (nee Medvid), a Ukranian national, admitted that she entered into a sham marriage to John Polkowski of Binghamton, New York, on December 23, 2008, for the purpose of obtaining permanent residency in the United States. Polkowski further admitted that she never intended to establish a life with her husband, but rather entered into the bogus marriage to enable her to remain in the United States. John Polkowski pled guilty to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud on April 22, 2014. At that time, he admitted that he was promised $10,000 for entering into the fraudulent marriage.

Natalia Polkowski will be sentenced on July 21, 2016 in federal court in Binghamton by Senior District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy. She faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a judge based upon the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations ("HSI"), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown