Cologne official accused of helping arrange sham marriages for residence permits

A former Cologne immigration office employee is accused of helping a suspected smuggling group obtain residence permits through sham marriages.

Prosecutors say the group usually took men from India to Cyprus, where they were allegedly married to women from Eastern Europe they had not met before.

The employee allegedly used her job to approve paperwork and advise the group, while she and her husband received several thousand euros per case.

The group is also accused of arranging false addresses in Germany, including using the employee’s flat in Cologne.

One Indian man allegedly paid about €6,200 for a residence permit, and investigators are checking the employee’s case files for other possible cases.

The employee and three others are in pre-trial detention, and the employee was dismissed from her job.

A trial is expected to begin in February 2027.