Three years in prison including eighteen months suspended and a fine of 8,000 euros were required Friday against a Marseilles septuagenarian who recognized the organization of a dozen white marriages, monetized each time between 10,000 and 16,000 euros.
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Thirty detainees have been appearing before the Marseille Criminal Court since Thursday for this network, which was updated on the basis of information provided in 2017 to the border police.
Figure of the district of Saint-Charles station, nicknamed " Zouzou ", this septuagenarian proposed a kit " white marriage " including a spouse of French nationality and a set of documents to be provided to the civil status office of the town hall of the 6th and 8th arrondissement of Marseille where the disputed marriages were celebrated.
The son of this “ matchmaker ”, computer specialist, admitted that it was “ child's play ” for him to fabricate false leases, energy receipts or rent, at the request of his mother to whom he could not “ refuse nothing ”. But he said he was unaware of the use made of it. An eighteen month prison sentence, nine of which was suspended, was sought against him.
Damage to marriage
Denouncing an attack on marriage, " a pillar, a sacred institution of our society ", the prosecutor Virginie Tavanti also requested suspended prison sentences of up to twelve months against the spouses, most of whom recognized false consent .
For French spouses awarded several thousand euros, she also claimed a fine of 3,000 euros. And for foreign spouses, Virginie Tavanti requested an additional ban on staying on the national territory: " it is inconceivable that having benefited from rights acquired by this marriage they continue to benefit from it ".
Matchmakers and witnesses present at the wedding received remuneration of a thousand euros. Sentences ranging from ten months 'suspended prison sentence to six months' imprisonment for repeat offenders have been sought against these intermediaries.
The court examined in detail 13 marriages suspected of being of convenience. Some recognized their entirely commercial nature, others evoked bonds of love uniting them or encouraging at the very least to allow the spouse for whom there were feelings to stay in France.
Border police verified that the grooms' phones never landed in the same place or that the couple did not live at the address indicated in the marriage records. One of the defendants admitted having accepted to marry to reimburse gambling debts while one of the brides had denounced to the prefecture the non-consented nature of his union, having not been paid the sums promised.