CAMDEN, N.J. — Elvis Harizaj, 25, a citizen of Albania, and his wife Natasha Flores, 27, from Newark, have been charged with making false statements to federal immigration authorities. Additionally, Harizaj faces a marriage fraud charge, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced Tuesday.
According to court documents, Harizaj allegedly entered into a sham marriage with Flores to obtain lawful permanent residence in the U.S. Both are accused of providing false information on immigration forms submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Harizaj claimed he lived with Flores, while Flores falsely stated she had never been married before. Investigators revealed Flores was previously married to a Brazilian national who obtained U.S. citizenship through that marriage.
Prosecutors state, “Harizaj is a citizen of Albania who entered into a sham marriage with Flores to secure permanent residence.” The charges carry penalties of up to five years in prison, $250,000 in fines, and three years of supervised release.
The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations, under Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane is prosecuting the case in the District of New Jersey.
