Several people accused of helping to arrange “sham marriages” between Italian and NON-EU citizens in exchange for money so the grooms can get legal residence in the EU.
The Guardia di Finanza and the Livorno public prosecutor are investigating 56 people for arranging 24 marriages in Livorno and Rosignano Marittimo, further to which the NON-EU citizens have obtained a residence permits. Each marriage would have been paid between 6,000 and 8,000 euros.
Interestingly to know, In 2014 The European Commission published a handbook (“Handbook on addressing the issue of alleged marriages of convenience between EU citizens and non-EU nationals in the context of EU law on free movement of EU citizens”) to help EU member states take action against marriages of convenience between EU citizens and non-EU nationals in the context of EU law on the free movement of citizens (https://www.mazzeschi.it/eu-handbook-on-marriages-of-convenience-fighting-the-abuse-of-the-right-to-free-movement/)
