The US Department of Justice has charged 11 people over an alleged decade-long marriage fraud operation that prosecutors say arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages, primarily involving Chinese nationals, to help foreign nationals obtain US green cards.
The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday charged 11 people in a decade-long scheme that arranged about 1,000 sham marriages to allow mostly Chinese nationals to achieve legal immigration status in the United States, according to court documents. https://t.co/aT12TFecqA
— Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) August 12, 2026
The alleged network operated from at least 2016 through July 2026, with its operations centred in New York and marriages arranged across the US and overseas, including China. Prosecutors said foreign nationals paid facilitators as much as $100,000 (£73,900) per sham marriage, while participating US citizens could receive up to $30,000 (£22,200).
The defendants have been charged and are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt..
The $100,000 (£73,900) Green Card Deal
According to the indictment, the alleged operation functioned as a large-scale network, with facilitators finding foreign clients, recruiters locating US citizens willing to participate and others helping couples create the appearance of genuine marriages.
The network allegedly worked with or enlisted the assistance of officiants, attorneys, tax preparers and insurance agents. Prosecutors said defendants used word of mouth, social media and advertising to attract foreign nationals seeking lawful permanent residence.
Some couples allegedly met for the first time shortly before applying for a marriage licence and then staged wedding ceremonies and photographs intended to make their relationships appear legitimate.
The indictment alleges that participants also created supporting evidence, including joint bank accounts, shared utility bills, joint tax filings and insurance policies. Applicants were allegedly coached to provide false information during interviews with US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Some couples allegedly signed prenuptial agreements designed to limit obligations between the participants and reinforce that they would continue living separate lives despite the marriage. Attorney General Todd Blanche highlighted one alleged agreement stating that the parties would live independently and not interfere with one another.
Who Has Been Charged?
The defendants are Amy Cheng, also known as Amy Zhou; Xiao Mei Chan, also known as Carmen; Christine Lu, also known as Lily; Jing Yan Ye, also known as Serene; Xiao Yan Chen, also known as Anna; Gang Zheng, also known as Michael or Mike; Anthony Cheng; Michelle Duenas; Angela Duenas; Sigrid Cetino; and Erika Johnson.
The defendants are accused of playing different roles in the alleged conspiracy, including as facilitators and recruiters. The scheme allegedly arranged marriages in multiple US states and overseas, including in China and Vanuatu.
Each defendant faces one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration document fraud, carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted.
They also face one count of conspiracy to encourage or induce aliens to reside unlawfully in the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. The indictment was unsealed on Wednesday, 12 August, following the defendants' arrests.
Prosecutors Warn of Wider Threat
The DOJ described the alleged operation as a large-scale immigration fraud conspiracy that operated for more than a decade.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow said, 'Anyone willing to lie, cheat, or steal their way to legal immigration status is a direct threat to America's national security.'
Fraud in immigration is not a novel concept, but for decades administrations have turned a blind eye to those who lie, cheat, and steal to obtain “lawful” status in the United States.
— Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) August 14, 2026
Trump is reversing that trend.https://t.co/3vs6IDyUzP
Attorney General Todd Blanche said the case demonstrated the lengths to which people would allegedly go to exploit the immigration system, while US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jamie McDonald said authorities had dismantled what prosecutors described as one of the largest marriage fraud conspiracies ever uncovered in the United States. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of property allegedly connected to or derived from the offences.
A Larger Immigration Crackdown
The case comes as the Trump administration continues a broader push against immigration fraud and unlawful immigration.
The latest case is exceptionally large by marriage-fraud standards, with prosecutors alleging more than 1,000 sham marriages over roughly a decade and across multiple jurisdictions.
The scale of the alleged operation is significant because prosecutors are not describing isolated marriages. Instead, the indictment alleges a structured network in which facilitators recruited foreign clients, recruiters found US citizens, participants staged weddings and defendants helped manufacture the documentary trail needed to convince immigration authorities that the marriages were genuine.
However, the central allegations still have to be tested in court. Prosecutors will need to prove that the defendants knowingly participated in the alleged conspiracy and deliberately used fraudulent marriages or documents to obtain immigration benefits.
For now, the DOJ's case represents allegations against 11 defendants rather than established findings of criminal wrongdoing.
