Nataliya Fox accused the agency of fraud and negligence, after
James Fox, the man introduced to her by the firm, and whom she
married in November 1998, attacked her, forcing her to seek help at
a refuge for battered women, reports the Associated Press.
"The woman of your dreams just may have a Russian accent,"
suggests the tag line of Encounters International, which apparently
offers a money-back guarantee to American members who do not find a
wife within 12 months of joining.
The lawsuit, thought to be the first of its kind, alleged that
when Nataliya spoke to the owner of the agency, Natasha Spivack,
about her husband's violent behaviour, she was told that she would
be deported if she walked away from her marriage. In fact, battered
wives or husbands are given some protection under US immigration
rules.
In court, Spivack argued that her role had merely been to
introduce the couple and she was not responsible for what happened
afterwards. But the jury did not agree.
