MONEY seized in connection with an alleged sham marriage has been confiscated by a Hampshire magistrates’ court.

The Home Office successfully applied to Southampton Magistrates’ Court to have £1,000 detained for three months under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

It was discovered at a property in Winchester High Street after a French woman and a man from Cameroon were arrested at Winchester Register Office on suspicion of arranging a sham marriage.

Two more people were later arrested at the High Street property.

All four have been charged with conspiracy to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non-European Union person.

The “bride” has been named as Olivia Godefroy, 21, from London.

She has also been charged with bigamy, doing an act to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non EU person and conspiracy to do an act to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non EU person.

Also charged with conspiracy was “groom” Devine Atalako Abanda, 26, of Uxbridge; Armand Pacombe Djedje, 29, from the Ivory Coast, and Olivier Attie, 30, from Belgium.