The Paris Weddings

After the Second World War, a federal law let the foreign spouses of honourably discharged American veterans enter the country outside the usual immigration quotas. Prosecutors said a family arranged three marriages in Paris so that refugee relatives could use that law: a veteran nephew married his aunt by marriage, and two female veterans, who were paid substantial fees, married two refugee brothers. The parties had agreed the ceremonies would be in form only, that they would not live together as husband and wife, and that the marriages would be ended after entry. The arrangements were concealed from immigration authorities. Several family members were charged with conspiracy. The defence argued the marriages were legally valid, so there was no fraud, and that spouses could not be made to testify against each other.