Sham marriages for cash: Bulgarian registry official under suspicion

Police in the south-eastern Bulgarian town of Yambol say they have uncovered a network arranging sham marriages between Bulgarian women and foreign nationals. As the BTA news agency reported on 7 October, nine people were detained immediately after three civil ceremonies at which stand-ins allegedly appeared before the official instead of the real couples. A 47-year-old municipal civil registry official has been charged with issuing false marriage certificates, and the Yambol prosecutor's office ordered her held for 72 hours. A 64-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman are suspected of recruiting women for the marriages and preparing the foreigners' documents.

According to initial findings described to bTV by prosecutor Mina Grancharova, the case involved Turkish citizens living in Germany – probably without legal status – who wanted to obtain European status through marriage. A wedding reportedly cost around 10,000 euros; the brides received about 1,700 to 1,800 euros, and stand-in grooms around 150 euros. Some 24 such marriages are said to have taken place between May and October, arranged mainly through people from the Sevlievo region, according to the prosecution. The official allegedly signed on behalf of the mayor without checking the identities of the couples or witnesses. “The investigation is still at a very early stage,” Grancharova said, adding that further charges are possible.

Yambol municipality, which has employed the accused since 2005, expressed its “categorical outrage”. Such conduct, “if proven”, would be absolutely unacceptable, it said, and long service in the administration exempts no one from responsibility. All suspects are presumed innocent. According to bTV, the official faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted.