US charges 11 over alleged marriage fraud scheme involving Chinese nationals

The US Justice Department has announced criminal charges against 11 people accused of taking part in an extensive marriage fraud scheme involving more than 1,000 alleged sham marriages between Chinese nationals and US citizens, CBS News reported.

According to an indictment filed in the Southern District of New York, the scheme allegedly operated from 2016 to 2026 and was facilitated by Amy Cheng, Xiao Mei Chan and Gang Zheng, among others.

Attorney General Todd Blanche described the case as one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in US history, saying the alleged operation had developed into a yearslong, multi-million-dollar business.

Prosecutors said the marriages were arranged to help Chinese nationals obtain green cards in the United States. The defendants allegedly promoted fraudulent immigration services through word of mouth, social media and advertising, mainly targeting citizens of China.

Foreign nationals allegedly paid as much as $100,000 for assistance in arranging a sham marriage and applying for lawful permanent resident status, while facilitators received commissions of about $5,000.

The indictment said some staged wedding ceremonies were held in restaurants, where participants changed into traditional Chinese wedding attire and invited friends and relatives to create the appearance of a real marriage.

Although many recruiters were based in New York, prosecutors said the alleged scheme involved marriages across the United States and abroad, including in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Vanuatu and China.

Stabil.Az