Police probe 34 for fake marriage scam

(ANSA) - Salerno, November 13 - An Italian man was arrested, a Moroccan woman accomplice fled Italy and 34 other people are under investigation for involvement in at least 19 "simulated marriages" to allow migrants to enter Italy, police said Friday.
    The arrested man was identified as Giovanni Spiniello, aged 48, from Nocera Inferiore in Salerno province. The 34 others were Italians and foreigners resident in nearby Cava de' Tirreni.
    Illegal immigrants were willing to pay up to 10,000 euros to the organisation which provided the documents necessary for the wedding and Italian partners of both sexes in financial difficulties willing to marry foreigners in return for a few thousand euros.
    The organisers went so far as to organise wedding banquets to throw investigators off the scent, police sources said.