Fort Bragg soldiers indicted in marriage scam case

A federal grand jury in Raleigh indicted two Fort Bragg soldiers accused of marriage fraud, according to a Thursday news release from Robert Higdon Jr., the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Sgt. Edward Kumi Anguah, 39, and Pvt. Ahmid Mohammed-Murtada, 34, were indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, marriage fraud, harboring an alien to come to the United States, visa fraud and false statement under oath.

Kwaphoom Eugene Hoomkwap, 30, of Nigeria, and Sulemana Ibrahim, 39, of Ghana, were indicted on the same charges.

The case was investigated by the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force in the Eastern District of North Carolina lead by Homeland Security Investigations.

The News and Observer previously reported that a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina stated that an investigation began in December, when an agent for the Department of Homeland Security interviewed a soldier about having an affair with a single soldier while married to Sulemana Ibrahim.

The soldier "confirmed the marriage was in fact fraudulent," court records state.

Mohammed-Murtada served on the same unit as that soldier and approached her about marrying Ibrahim, who wanted to gain lawful permanent residence, an affidavit stated.

Ibrahim was a citizen of Ghana living in New York on a tourist visa that expired in July 2018, court records state.

As part of the deal, the soldier would receive a Basic Housing Allowance stipend, two months worth or rent and furniture for a new off-post apartment, The News and Observer reported.

The soldier married Ibrahim at the Cumberland County Courthouse in July, and went to dinner with Anguah, who said he arranged many fraudulent marriages, the affidavit stated.

"She was told by Sgt. Anguah and Pvt. Mohammed that she would need to stage photos with Ibrahim in order to make the marriage look legitimate," according to court documents.

The two soldiers also instructed East to place Ibrahim on her apartment lease to give the appearance he lived in Fayetteville rather than New York, records said. She also added him to service member life insurance documents.

The soldier stated Anguah had "asked her if she was willing to find additional soldiers for him to arrange marriages to," the affidavit stated.

She later called Anguah and said she had a friend who was interested.

In January, an undercover officer met Anguah at a Starbucks in Fayetteville and told him she wanted $800 to marry an immigrant, and Anguah suggested $2,000 instead and told her he would get $6,000, the affidavit stated.

Anguah called the agent with a man who identified himself as Kwaphoom Eugene Hoomkwap on the line. On the phone, Hoomkwap said he wanted to get off work in New York to get married in Fayetteville, court records stated.

They met Jan.24 at the Fayetteville courthouse for the marriage license, and warrants were issued the same day, the News and Observer reported.

Higdon said if convicted, Anguah faces maximum penalties of 25 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

If convicted, Hoomkwap and Murtada face maximum penalties of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

If convicted, Ibrahim faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment

The Fayetteville Observer

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.