The Justice Department has announced criminal charges against 11 individuals for their roles in an alleged large-scale marriage fraud scheme. The scheme reportedly involved over 1,000 sham marriages between Chinese nationals and U.S. citizens.
According to a 21-page indictment from New York’s Southern District, the fraudulent activity took place from 2016 to 2026. Key figures in the scheme included Amy Cheng, Xiao Mei Chan, and Gang Zheng. These individuals allegedly organized fake marriages to help Chinese nationals secure green cards in the U.S.
The defendants reportedly marketed their fraudulent immigration services through word of mouth, social media, and various advertising methods. They primarily targeted citizens of the People’s Republic of China, offering to arrange sham marriages to support fraudulent lawful permanent resident applications in the country. The indictment reveals that foreign nationals paid up to $100,000 for these services, while facilitators of the arrangements earned commissions of about $5,000.
Photos of the alleged sham marriage ceremonies submitted in support of immigration applications were included in the indictment.
The indictment details how some of these sham wedding ceremonies took place in local restaurants. During the ceremonies, foreign nationals and U.S. citizens donned traditional Chinese wedding attire. They also invited friends and family to create the facade of a legitimate marriage.
Though many recruiters operated in New York, the indictment states that the marriage scheme extended to various parts of the U.S., including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida, as well as internationally in Vanuatu and China.
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