Couple Charged With Bilking Immigrants

LOS ANGELES (CN) - A French couple has been arrested and charged with defrauding prospective immigrants of thousands of dollars through false promises of work and green cards in the United States.

Deborah Sion, 25, of Van Nuys, was arrested on July 3. Her husband, Isaac Peres, 27, is already in jail in France on unrelated fraud charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. The couple is accused of using a string of aliases to post ads on the Internet, offering jobs and permanent legal residency.

Sion allegedly advertised on Craigslist.com and Franceservice.com and other sites that a "lawyer friend" could get her victims green cards through a "diversity lottery program," for 1,500 to 2,700 euros. The French Consulate said the couple's victims lost about $4,000 apiece. They face more than 50 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

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