11 Charged in Massive Marriage Fraud Scheme Spanning a Decade
(New York, NY = Alex Walczak) On August 12, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the indictment of 11 individuals involved in a decade-long scheme that orchestrated over 1,000 sham marriages to illegally grant immigration status to foreign nationals, primarily from China.
The defendants, who allegedly paid up to $100,000 per sham marriage, are accused of running a sophisticated network that exploited U.S. immigration laws for profit. Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that this case is part of a broader effort to eradicate fraud within the immigration system, stating, “Schemes like this are a deliberate affront to the United States and our laws and will not be tolerated.”
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald for the Southern District of New York described the operation as a multimillion-dollar marriage fraud scheme that spanned across the nation and internationally. “Today’s arrests have dismantled a central component of one of the largest marriage fraud schemes charged in U.S. history,” he said.
The scheme reportedly ran from 2016 until July 2026, facilitating fake marriages between U.S. citizens and foreign nationals. While primarily based in New York City, the network extended its operations to various states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and even overseas in Vanuatu and China.
The defendants collaborated with a range of service providers, including marriage officiants, attorneys, and tax preparers, to execute the fraudulent marriages. Foreign nationals were charged up to $100,000 for these sham marriages, while U.S. citizens received around $30,000 for their participation. The network also paid recruiters commissions for bringing in willing U.S. citizens.
To create the illusion of legitimate marriages, participants staged wedding ceremonies and manipulated evidence, such as photographs and joint financial accounts. They submitted fraudulent Green Card applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), often coaching participants on how to mislead immigration officers during interviews.
The defendants, including Amy Cheng, Xiao Mei Chan, and Christine Lu, were arrested and are expected to face charges of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration fraud, which could lead to sentences of up to five years in prison for each count. Additionally, they could face up to ten years for promoting illegal residency for foreign nationals.
Law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI, conducted searches at multiple locations in New York as part of the investigation. This indictment underscores the commitment to protecting the integrity of the U.S. immigration system and demonstrates a strong stance against marriage fraud.
