Fake Nigerian marriage ring exposed

German police have broken up a fake marriage ring that paired Portuguese women with Nigerian men who paid thousands of euros for a chance to gain EU residency. A report on the News24 site notes that police arrested five suspects, including four women during raids at more than 40 locations across Berlin. Homes in nearby Potsdam, Frankfurt and the eastern city of Goerlitz were also raided. Investigators believe the suspects recruited Portuguese women from Nigeria and charged men up to $15 000 for the scheme, with part of the money going to the ‘brides’. The gang would then falsify marriage certificates. Armed with the certificate, the couples would meet briefly in Germany to present themselves to authorities and apply for a legal, EU residency permit for the ‘husband’.