Manhattan prosecutors think that over the past two decades, an East Harlem woman has taken more than two-dozen husbands in a bizarre, lucrative and remarkably widespread immigration scam.

Her name is Dezerrie Anne Cortez, a 40-year- old Lexington Avenue working mom who authorities say collected thousands of dollars from her illegal-immigrant husbands in return for "tying the knots" to get them green cards and other perks.

Trouble was, whenever she said, "I do," in these paper-only marriages, this Mother of all Brides neglected to ever say "I don't," prosecutors charge.

And she would have remained happily multiply married if she hadn't allegedly applied for her 27th marriage license last year.

That's after the clerk's office instituted a policy of checking for duplicate names on marriage- license applications going back 10 years.

Prior to 2002, City Clerk Victor Robles' first full year in office, clerks checked back only one year. That allowed "career brides" to re-marry once a year without risk of getting caught in their connubial conniving.

"Maybe [Cortez] should go in 'The Guinness Book of World Records,' " District Attorney Robert Morgenthau quipped yesterday, in announcing Cortez had been arrested and faces four years in prison if convicted of lying about her marital status on her marriage-license applications.

"They do have nice stuff - computers, a leather sofa," said neighbor Clara Dejesus, who believed Cortez lived with her mother, sister, and a male teen relative. "Two months ago, they remodeled their apartment."

Cortez, who may have more husbands in Florida, isn't alone in being always a bride, never a bridesmaid, prosecutors say.

Five other women have been caught selling and reselling their hands in marriage, the DA said - although none are accused of scaling such Elizabeth Taylor-esque heights.

But prosecutors are investigating the use of middle men, who would help the new hubbies hook up with green cards, Social Security cards, driver's licenses and other bureaucratic "gifts" that come with wedding a U.S. citizen.

The other alleged turbo-brides include Maria Davis, 26, of the same Lexington Avenue complex as Cortez, charged with wedding three men; Monique Figueroa, 26, of Richmond Hills, Queens, charged with marrying four; and Chera Larkins, 32, of Hamilton Heights, Manhattan, charged with wedding three.

Two others, Veronica Housey and Francine Eubanks, are still sought.

Figueroa - a tattooed mom of two - failed to make $1,750 bail at arraignment last night.

In an unrelated case, former city clerk staffer Kamal Tatum is wanted on a charge of taking a bribe to change a bride's name on a marriage license.