Eleven people are accused of operating a multimillion-dollar marriage fraud scheme that arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages over more than a decade, with some participants paying up to $100,000 per fraudulent marriage, according to the indictment.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday that the ring was designed to obtain immigration status for foreign nationals, primarily Chinese citizens.
“This Department of Justice is rooting out fraud everywhere — including in our immigration system,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a Wednesday statement.
“The individuals who were arrested today allegedly orchestrated elaborate schemes to illegally obtain citizenship for foreign nationals through sham marriages,” Blanche continued. “Schemes like this are a deliberate affront to the United States and our laws and will not be tolerated under the Trump Administration.”
According to the DOJ’s announcement, the defendants were arrested Wednesday and were expected to be arraigned the same day.
From at least 2016 through July 2026, the defendants ran a marriage fraud network both across the U.S. and internationally, according to the indictment. The foreign nationals were primarily from China, and the alleged scheme was based mainly in New York City, though it reportedly stretched to Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and internationally to Vanuatu and China.
Those arrested include Amy Cheng, 72; Xiao Mei Chan, 64; Christine Lu, 52; Jing Yan Ye, 43; Xiao Yan Chen, 48 ; Gang Zheng, 61; Anthony Cheng, 47; Michelle Duenas, 35; Angela Duenas, 26; Sigrid Cetino, 32; and Erika Johnson, 43.
Each defendant faces one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. They also face one count of conspiracy to encourage the unlawful residence of aliens in the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
“The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly operated a nationwide and international, multimillion-dollar marriage fraud scheme, using participants to abuse United States immigration laws for their own profit,” U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald for the Southern District of New York said in a statement.
“Today’s arrests have dismantled a central component of one of the largest marriage fraud schemes charged in United States history,” McDonald added. “As this prosecution shows, we and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue those seeking to corrupt and exploit our nation’s lawful immigration system.”
The scheme allegedly involved facilitators who oversaw the operation, recruiters who found U.S. citizens willing to participate, and individuals who prepared and submitted fraudulent applications for lawful permanent residence to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Foreign nationals reportedly paid facilitators up to $100,000 for a sham marriage and help obtaining lawful permanent resident status, while participating U.S. citizens were paid up to $30,000. Recruiters reportedly received commissions of about $5,000 for each citizen they recruited.
To fool immigration authorities, investigators say the network coached couples to act as if they were in a real relationship. Many couples reportedly met for the first time only after obtaining a marriage license, then staged wedding ceremonies and banquets.
Participants were reportedly instructed to open joint financial accounts, buy insurance policies and file joint tax returns once married. Couples also allegedly received coaching on what to say during official USCIS interviews.
“Anyone willing to lie, cheat or steal their way to legal immigration status is a direct threat to America’s national security,” USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow said.
“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is aggressively pursuing marriage fraud schemes and the criminal organizations and ringleaders who profit from them,” Edlow continued. “USCIS will continue to expose fraud, defend the rule of law, and ensure immigration status is reserved for those who truly qualify.”
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
