USCIS Helps Dismantle Decade-Long Marriage Fraud Network
Eleven individuals have been indicted for orchestrating a large-scale sham marriage scheme that facilitated fraudulent immigration status for foreign nationals, primarily Chinese citizens. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) played a key role in the investigation, which involved over 1,000 fake marriages and payments of up to $100,000 per arrangement.
A major immigration fraud operation has been dismantled, with 11 individuals charged in a nationwide and international scheme involving over 1,000 sham marriages. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) was instrumental in the investigation, which targeted a network that allegedly facilitated fraudulent immigration status for foreign nationals, primarily citizens of China, through fake marriages with U.S. citizens. ## The Scheme and Its Operators The indictment, unsealed today, accuses the defendants of operating a multimillion-dollar marriage fraud network from at least 2016 through July 2026. The scheme involved facilitators, recruiters, and assistants who arranged sham marriages, prepared fraudulent immigration paperwork, and coached participants to deceive immigration officers. Foreign nationals reportedly paid up to $100,000 for a fake marriage and assistance in obtaining lawful permanent resident status, while U.S. citizens involved in the scheme received payments of up to $30,000. The defendants include Amy Cheng, Xiao Mei Chan, Christine Lu, Jing Yan Ye, Xiao Yan Chen, Gang Zheng, Anthony Cheng, Michelle Duenas, Angela Duenas, Sigrid Cetino, and Erika Johnson. They are accused of orchestrating marriages that often involved participants meeting for the first time just before obtaining a marriage license. The network staged wedding ceremonies and manufactured evidence, such as joint financial accounts and tax returns, to make the marriages appear legitimate. ## Law Enforcement Response The arrests were carried out this morning, with search warrants executed at multiple locations in Brooklyn and Queens. The defendants face charges of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration fraud, which carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and conspiracy to encourage the unlawful residence of aliens, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized the Department of Justice's commitment to combating fraud in the immigration system, stating that such schemes undermine U.S. laws and national security. USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow echoed this sentiment, highlighting the agency's efforts to expose fraud and ensure immigration status is reserved for those who qualify. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald for the Southern District of New York described the case as one of the largest marriage fraud schemes ever charged in the United States. ## Impact and Ongoing Efforts The scheme is believed to have generated tens of millions of dollars from foreign nationals seeking lawful permanent resident status. The defendants allegedly caused hundreds of fraudulent Green Card applications to be submitted to USCIS, with participants coached to provide false information during immigration interviews. USCIS encourages the public to report suspected immigration benefit fraud through its Tip Form. The agency continues to work with law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal networks that exploit the immigration system.
