US charges 11 in decade-long sham marriage scheme for Chinese nationals

U.S. authorities have charged 11 people in connection with a large-scale, decade-long marriage fraud scheme that facilitated the fraudulent acquisition of green cards for hundreds of Chinese nationals. Officials estimate that over 1,000 sham marriages were arranged as part of this operation, which generated tens of millions of dollars for the organizers.

The scheme involved paying U.S. citizens as much as $30,000 to enter into bogus marriages with immigrants seeking lawful permanent resident status. The defendants allegedly charged up to $100,000 per green card. The indicted individuals, aged between 26 and 72, operated a "nationwide and international marriage fraud network" from at least 2016, primarily based in New York City but arranging marriages across the U.S. and internationally, including in Vanuatu and China.

Prosecutors described the operation as one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in U.S. history. The Department of Justice highlighted that the scheme was not a small-time operation but a "years-long, multibillion-dollar cottage industry" designed to illegally assist individuals who could not legally obtain U.S. citizenship. The investigation revealed that at least 14 active members of the U.S. Army were matched with foreign nationals in these fraudulent marriages.

To make the sham marriages appear legitimate, the defendants allegedly arranged fake wedding ceremonies and even staged family photos afterward in locations like restaurants. The charges include conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and conspiracy to harbor aliens, among others. The arrests on Wednesday morning marked a significant step in dismantling this extensive network.

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This scheme was not a quick, fly-by-night operation but rather a years-long, multibillion-dollar cottage industry to criminally assist people who would not, or legally could not, otherwise become citizens of the United States.