The District Court today sentenced the mastermind of a cross-boundary bogus marriage syndicate to four years jail.

The Immigration Department said a syndicate was found to have arranged for Hong Kong residents to conduct bogus marriages with Mainlanders in 2008.

More than 20 Hong Kong residents were involved in the scam.

The syndicate's mastermind and a core member were arrested, and 15 Hong Kong residents were convicted of conspiracy to defraud, and aiding and abetting others in making false representations to immigration officers.

Sentencing for the member's case will be on July 4.