"Ghanaian" Accused of Fraudulent Marriages

BALTIMORE, USA - A United States federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a "Ghanaian" living in Frederick accused of marrying nine immigrant women for money with marriage and passport fraud.

Prosecutors say James Kyem married women, for a fee, and the women were then able to become lawful permanent residents.


The indictment says 52-year-old Kyem was born in Ghana and obtained his citizenship through a 1984 marriage to a woman who was a naturalized citizen.


It says they divorced in 1997, but were still married in 1996 when he entered into the first of the nine fraudulent marriages.

Federal authorities did not say whether Kyem was married to his next nine wives simultaneously or divorced each before marrying the next.


Kyem was charged with marriage and passport fraud and other offenses. He is being detained as a flight risk. His attorney, Paula Xinis, a public defender, declined to comment.