U.S. Justice Department charges 11 in massive marriage fraud scheme

marriage fraud green card scheme immigration fraud Chinese nationals Department of Justice

The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted 11 individuals for allegedly operating a massive, decade-long marriage fraud scheme that facilitated more than 1,000 sham marriages. The operation, which primarily targeted Chinese nationals seeking green cards, reportedly generated tens of millions of dollars between 2016 and July 2026.

According to federal prosecutors, the network utilized facilitators, recruiters, and assistants to arrange fraudulent unions. Foreign nationals allegedly paid as much as $100,000 to participate in these sham marriages, while U.S. citizens were reportedly paid up to $30,000 to act as spouses. To maintain the appearance of legitimacy, the group allegedly staged wedding ceremonies with traditional attire and organized photo sessions at restaurants, and helped participants open joint bank and mobile phone accounts.

The scheme had a national and international reach, involving activities in several U.S. states—including New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida—as well as China and Vanuatu. Among those involved were ten naturalized U.S. citizens originally from China and one green card holder. The indictment also noted that recruiters allegedly targeted members of the U.S. Armed Forces for participation.

Entities

Amy Cheng · Department of Justice · Gang Zheng · Jamie McDonald · New York · Todd Blanche · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · U.S. Department of Justice · Xiao Mei Chan

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 2 SOURCES] Ten of the arrested individuals were naturalized U.S. citizens originally from China, and one was a green card holder. www.dailysignal.com · thefrontierpost.com
[● 21 SOURCES] The scheme primarily targeted Chinese nationals seeking U.S. green cards. www.dailysignal.com · www.europesays.com · www.kaaltv.com · wdez.com · jack1065.com · +16 more
[● 21 SOURCES] Foreign nationals paid up to $100,000 to participate in the sham marriages. www.dailysignal.com · www.europesays.com · www.kaaltv.com · wdez.com · jack1065.com · +16 more
[● 3 SOURCES] The network utilized facilitators, recruiters, and assistants to prepare immigration paperwork. www.dailysignal.com · www.cubaheadlines.com · www.cbsnews.com
[● 5 SOURCES] The 11 defendants face charges of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration fraud. justthenews.com · nypost.com · www.dailysignal.com · ca.news.yahoo.com · thefrontierpost.com
[● 6 SOURCES] The alleged fraudulent activity occurred between 2016 and July 2026. www.dailysignal.com · www.cbsnews.com · justthenews.com · news.az · www.cubaheadlines.com · +1 more
[● 21 SOURCES] U.S. citizens were paid up to $30,000 to participate in the sham marriages. www.dailysignal.com · www.europesays.com · www.kaaltv.com · wdez.com · jack1065.com · +16 more
[● 5 SOURCES] The scheme involved activities in several U.S. states, China, and Vanuatu. www.dailysignal.com · news.az · townhall.com · www.cubaheadlines.com · ca.news.yahoo.com
[● 14 SOURCES] The scheme arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages. www.dailysignal.com · www.europesays.com · www.kaaltv.com · wdez.com · jack1065.com · +9 more