Man Sentenced on Marriage Fraud Charge

   BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Adil Alakbarov, a citizen of Azerbaijian who had been residing in Cheektowaga, N.Y., and who was convicted of making a false statement on an immigration document,   was sentenced to time served (5 ½ months) by Chief U.S. District Court Judge William M. Skretny.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie P. Grisanti, who handled the case, stated that Alakbarov attempted to become a U.S. citizen through marriage, and went to great lengths to convince an immigration officer that he was in a valid marriage. The defendant also claimed that he and his wife were residing at the same address. In reality, the marriage was a sham, and the defendant and his purported wife did not live at the same address. 

When the Alakbarov learned that he was going to be charged in federal court, he fled to Mexico. The defendant was later arrested as he attempted to board a plane destined to Turkey.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of Immigration and Custom Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero and Customs and Border Patrol in California.