The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested 10 people in connection with a multimillion-dollar sham marriage network that conducted more than 1,000 nuptials between American citizens and foreign nationals, most of whom were Chinese nationals, to obtain American immigration status fraudulently.
The marriage fraud scheme ran from 2016 to July 2026, with the network receiving tens of millions of dollars from foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in the U.S., according to the Department of Justice.
The defendants, who are mostly Chinese citizens, were arrested on August 12 for allegedly running the network, through which they recruited hundreds of U.S. citizens.
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 were charged in connection with the scheme.
They were arraigned on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in the federal court in White Plains, New York.
“Although based principally in New York City, the network allegedly arranged sham marriages throughout the United States and overseas, including in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Vanuatu, and China,” the indictment said.
Federal prosecutors said the network comprised facilitators who identified customers, recruiters who found U.S. citizens willing to enter sham marriages, and others who assisted with green card applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The network also employed lawyers, marriage officiants, tax preparers and insurance providers to facilitate the marriages.
“Foreign nationals paid facilitators as much as approximately $100,000 for a sham marriage and assistance obtaining lawful permanent resident status.
“Facilitators, in turn, allegedly paid participating United States citizens as much as approximately $30,000—generally in instalments tied to milestones in the green card application process—and paid recruiters commissions of as much as approximately $5,000 for each citizen recruited,” prosecutors said.
Some of the couples met only once before obtaining a marriage licence, while conspirators staged photographs to make the union appear genuine, according to the indictment.
To further make the marriages appear legitimate, participants were said to open joint financial and utility accounts, file joint tax returns, and obtain insurance policies after the ceremony.
Using false information, the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly submitted hundreds of fraudulent green card applications. They coached participants on how to conceal the true nature of their relationships during interaction with immigration officers.
Authorities charged each defendant with one count of conspiracy to commit marriage and immigration fraud and one count of conspiracy to encourage the unlawful residence of aliens in the U.S. While the first charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, the other carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
U.S. attorney Jamie McDonald described the network as the “largest marriage fraud scheme in U.S. history” and accused the defendants of using participants to abuse immigration laws for their benefit.
“This Department of Justice is rooting out fraud everywhere—including in our immigration system,” said attorney general Todd Blanche. “Schemes like this are a deliberate affront to the United States and our laws and will not be tolerated under the Trump Administration.”