Friend says Enrique Marquez, former neighbor of Syed Farook, was paid to marry woman

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Enrique Marquez, the former neighbor of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook, is seen in this photo provided by ABC News.
Enrique Marquez, the former neighbor of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook, is seen in this photo provided by ABC News.
ABCNews-ABCNews

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- A friend of Enrique Marquez said the former neighbor of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook was paid to marry a Russian woman, ABC News reports.

Nick Rodriguez said Marquez told him he received $5,000 to $10,000 for marrying the woman who is the sister of Farook's brother's wife.

Rodriguez claimed Marquez walked through Morgan's Tavern in Riverside saying, "Hey I got married today."

When Rodriguez asked Marquez about the marriage, he said Marquez stated he didn't even live with the woman.

Marquez, 24, purchased high-powered rifles at least three years ago that San Bernardino terror shooters Farook and Tashfeen Malik used in the Dec. 2 attack.

MORE: Family of Enrique Marquez unaware of his marriage, conversion to Islam

The couple killed 14 people during a holiday gathering at the Inland Regional Center.

Farook and Malik were killed hours later in a gun fight with police less than a mile away from the center.

The couple left behind a 6-month-old daughter.

Marquez married a Russian woman named Mariya, whose sister is married to Farook's older brother, in November 2014.

But officials said there is little evidence that Marquez and his wife acted like a couple.

Authorities believe the marriage was faked in an attempt to help the woman stay in the U.S.

Marquez told FBI investigators that he and Farook plotted a terror attack in 2012, but shelved the plans after four people were arrested and charged in a plot to commit jihad against U.S. military bases overseas, according to ABC News.

MORE: FBI investigates possible 2012 terror plot from Syed Farook and ex-neighbor

All four convicted terrorists in that case were from the Inland Empire, and Farook may be tied to one of them, according to the FBI.

Marquez remains in custody and is cooperating with the FBI, according to officials.

DEVELOPING: We will add more details to this report as they become available.