An Indian Australian couple, migration agent Chetan Mashru and his celebrant wife, Divya Gowda were found guilty of marrying off 16 Australian women to Indian men as part of a "one-stop shop" for spousal visas.
The couple remained emotionless as a jury returned guilty verdicts to a total 66 charges after their fortnight-long trial in the Brisbane District Court.
Mashru and Gowda were paid thousands of dollars by Indian grooms who needed to extend this visas to secure their stay in the country.
Most of the men wed their Australian brides at first sight at the couple's Oxley townhouse, south of Brisbane, in unceremonious ceremonies.
Indian international student Pradeep Singh who worked as taxi driver in Queensland first met his wife Josephine Haig on his wedding day in March 2011.
A pair will stand trial in Brisbane over allegations they arranged sham marriages for visa purposes. (AAP) Source: AAP
Their wedding was allegedly ‘orchestrated’ by the couple where Singh paid paid $5000 to Mashru and his wife Gowda and another $5000 to Ms Haig.
Another bride, 25-year-old Leilani Rose May had never met him before, but married Amritpal Singh in 2011 in return of $1000 cash on the day of their wedding and $250 every week later on.
"These were sham marriages," crown prosecutor Greg Lynham told the jury in his closing address on Wednesday.
"There's no courtship, there's no dating, there's no getting to know each other.
"It's simply rock up to the townhouse, sign some forms ... and then the parties go their separate ways, usually with the bride somewhat financially more benefited than what she was when she walked in."
The brides, most of whom were women "down on their luck", received a lump sum up front for their part in the scam as well as ongoing payments while they remained married.
His wife, Divya Gowda who worked as a celebrant was called an 'essential cog' in the scam by the prosecution.
Divya Krishne Gowda arrives at the District Court in Brisbane, Monday, Jan. 30, 2017. Source: AAP Image/Dan Peled
Mashru, who represented himself at trial, told the court on Thursday he should not be punished because "I don't believe I'm guilty".
He and Gowda were remanded in custody and are due to be sentenced on Friday.
Mr Lynham said the Crown would be asking for both to be given jail sentences with actual time spent behind bars.
