Indian Citizen Pleads Guilty To Marriage Fraud Charge

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Vikrant Chauhan, 35, a citizen of India living in Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John D. Fabian, who is handling the case, stated that on April 2, 2018, Chauhan, a citizen of Indian, married a female United States citizen in Worcester, Massachusetts. The marriage was fraudulent in that Chauhan and the female United States citizen were not in a genuine relationship, never resided together, and entered the “contract marriage” only for the purpose of obtaining a Permanent Resident Card. also known as a Green Card, for Chauhan. On June 1, 2018, using his Indian passport, Chauhan submitted an Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status to the Department of Homeland Security citing the April 2, 2018, fraudulent marriage. In May 2019, Chauhan was interviewed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), during which his “wife” stated that she lived together with Chauhan in Connecticut. In November 2021, Chauhan was interviewed a second time by USCIS, during which he falsely claimed to continue to reside with his “wife” in Connecticut. He also falsely claimed that his “wife” was pregnant with his child. During the course of the conspiracy, the female United States citizen whom Chauhan married brokered multiple fraudulent marriages that were conducted in Hamburg, NY, and facilitated multiple USCIS interviews that were conducted in Buffalo, NY.

The plea is the result of an investigation by  Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, Chicago Field Office under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Karen Whalen, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, and the Hamburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Dienes.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2024 before Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.

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