Sham marriage fixer jailed for more than two years (From Harrow Times)

Claudio Cardoso jailed for 26 months for arranging fake marriage of Pakistani man

11:10am Thursday 7th March 2013 in News By Jaber Mohamed

A sham marriage fixer from Harrow has been jailed for more than two years for breaches of immigration law and identity fraud.

Claudio Cardoso, of Wesley Close, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to breach of the UK’s immigration laws along with four identity fraud offences when he appeared at Harrow Crown Court on last Friday.

He was sentenced to 26 months in prison during the same hearing.

The 34-year-old Portuguese man helped arrange a sham marriage for Pakistani man Shehzad Bashir, 27, in April last year.

Mr Cardoso introduced the 27-year-old to a Portuguese woman last March and tried to arrange a fake marriage between them.

Mr Bashir was in the UK on a student visa at the time and hoped the marriage would get him long-term residency and the right to work and claim benefits in this country.

The couple subsequently had photos taken together and opened a joint bank account in an attempt to generate evidence of a genuine relationship.

They visited Kingston Register Office but no wedding was ever booked.

Mr Bashir was arrested at his home in Manorgate Road, Kingston-Upon-Thames on August 15 and he was sentenced to six months imprisonment for his part in the arrangement.

Mr Cardoso was arrested a month later at an address in Hillside Drive, Edgware.