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Holyoke woman sentenced to 4 months for phony marriages for illegal immigrants

By Zachary T. Sampson

 |  Globe Correspondent  

  April 03, 2012

A Holyoke woman who arranged more than 40 sham weddings between illegal immigrants and American conspirators was sentenced to four months in prison Monday, according to federal court documents.Maria-Helena Knoller pleaded guilty in February 2011 to charges of marriage fraud and concealing and shielding illegal immigrants. Prosecutors have said Knoller, a Brazilian immigrant herself, matched Brazilian nationals and American citizens and coached them through sham weddings so her clients could achieve permanent resident status.

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