Man in marriage fraud case arrested at airport

Friday January 25, 2008 By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff



A 37-year-old man who was about to leave Saipan was arrested for marriage fraud while checking in for a flight for Japan on Wednesday afternoon at the airport.

Mohammad Wahiduzzaman was arrested at 1:40 p.m. and was brought to the Superior Court yesterday afternoon before Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo for a bail hearing.

Govendo set a cash bail of $25,000.

Wahiduzzaman’s lawyer, Joey San Nicolas, requested for a bail modification hearing which the judge granted and the matter will be heard today at 3:30 p.m.

Wahiduzzaman was remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections.

He was ordered to stay away from Shanna Marie Kaipat and her friends.

According to the affidavit of immigration investigator Erwin Flores, he received information that Wahiduzzaman committed marriage fraud.

Any alien residing in the CNMI can obtain an immediate relative status if they marry a U.S. citizen. This allows them to remain here and apply for some jobs restricted to U.S. citizens for as long as their IR status is in effect.

Flores stated in his affidavit submitted to court that on Jan. 19, Kaipat informed him that she entered into a fixed marriage with Wahiduzzaman.

Kaipat said Wahiduzzaman told her that if she agreed to the marriage, he would pay her $10,000.

Kaipat and Wahiduzzaman married on Dec. 22, 2006 at the Saipan mayor’s office.

They were married by Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela.

Kaipat told investigator that they never lived together as husband and wife and continued to live in separate residences.

Kaipat said she received an initial payment of $4,000 from Wahiduzzaman, who submitted an application for his IR entry permit on Dec. 27, 2006.