11 Charged in Massive Fake Marriage Scheme for U.S. Green Cards

The United States Department of Justice revealed charges this Wednesday against 11 individuals accused of orchestrating a large-scale fake marriage operation. This scheme, active for a decade, allowed hundreds of Chinese nationals to unlawfully gain permanent residency through sham marriages with American citizens.

According to a report by Telemundo 51, authorities are labeling this as one of the biggest marriage fraud cases in U.S. history. The operation, which organized over 1,000 fake marriages, was based in New York and extended its reach to at least eight states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and Nevada, with additional ties to China and Vanuatu.

The fraudulent network functioned roughly from 2016 until July 2026, generating tens of millions of dollars in the process. Facilitators in the scheme charged up to $100,000 for each fraudulently obtained green card. Meanwhile, American citizens recruited for these fake marriages received payments up to $30,000, and recruiters earned commissions as high as $5,000 for each participant they brought into the fold.

Elaborate Deception Tactics

To deceive immigration authorities, the accused orchestrated elaborate photo sessions in restaurants, opened joint bank and phone accounts, and fabricated immigration documents, including insurance policies and tax returns, to create the illusion of genuine marital relationships.

The accused individuals are 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 face charges in the Southern District of New York for conspiring to commit marriage and immigration fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of five years, as well as conspiracy to facilitate illegal residency, which can result in up to ten years in prison. It remains unclear if they have legal representation at this time.

Implications of the Fraudulent Activities

U.S. Attorney Todd Blanche emphasized the significant scale of the operation, stating, "This was not a quick, fly-by-night scheme but a clandestine billion-dollar industry that criminally assisted individuals who otherwise would not, or could not, legally become U.S. citizens."

Blanche also highlighted the broader implications of such fraud: "These schemes have a real cost. They strip our country of the ability to determine who should and shouldn't be admitted to the United States."

Context of Immigration Policy

This case arises amidst the Trump administration's tighter immigration policies, which since 2025 have increased scrutiny on both legal and unauthorized immigration. Measures include mandatory in-person interviews for marriage-based green cards and active reviews of previously granted residencies to uncover irregularities.

This is not the first time such networks have been dismantled in the U.S. In 2017, at least 15 individuals, primarily Cuban, were convicted in South Florida for organizing fake marriages to secure permanent residency for non-Cuban foreigners, involving around forty defendants.

The Department of Justice's official statement notes that the case was investigated by a specialized transnational organized crime team, underscoring the breadth of the dismantled network.