The Trump administration announced charges against 11 people for partaking in a significant green card marriage fraud scheme. This scheme allegedly enabled over a thousand sham marriages, mainly involving Chinese nationals, to secure permanent legal status in the United States.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) reported a decade-long illegal operation where individuals paid up to $100,000 to marry U.S. citizens, resulting in numerous fraudulent green cards from 2016 to July 2026. John Condon, Acting Executive Associate Director of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), stated: “This scheme turned marriage fraud into an international business model, causing many fraudulent Green Card applications.” HSI vowed to persist in dismantling networks undermining U.S. laws and profiting from fraud.
Sham Marriage Scheme: Who Was Charged?
Authorities charged 11 individuals from New York, as follows:
- Amy Cheng, “Amy Zhou,” 72, Brooklyn, NY
- Xiao Mei Chan, “Carmen,” 64, Queens, NY
- Christine Lu, “Lily,” 52, Queens, NY
- Jing Yan Ye, “Serene,” 43, Staten Island, NY
- Xiao Yan Chen, “Anna,” 48, Brooklyn, NY
- Gang Zheng, “Michael” and “Mike,” 61, Queens, NY
- Anthony Cheng, 47, Staten Island, NY
- Michelle Duenas, 35, Staten Island, NY
- Angela Duenas, 26, Staten Island, NY
- Sigrid Cetino, 32, Peekskill, NY
- Erika Johnson, 43, Ossining, NY
These individuals face charges of conspiracy to commit marriage and immigration fraud, as well as conspiracy to encourage unlawful residence of aliens in the U.S., potentially leading to 5 to 10 years in prison.
The DOJ noted that the marriages extended beyond New York, occurring in other states like Connecticut, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
How They Allegedly Did It
Authorities alleged the defendants used word-of-mouth, social media, and other channels to market their fraudulent services. They promised immigrants help in obtaining lawful permanent resident status through these fake marriages. Reportedly, foreign nationals paid up to $100,000 per marriage, with recruiters and facilitators receiving commissions for enlisting U.S. citizens.
Prosecutors claimed organizers employed American citizens for marriages that existed solely on paper. Participants received tens of thousands of dollars to appear as legitimate spouses. Fake wedding ceremonies and photo shoots were staged, sometimes held in restaurants with participants wearing traditional wedding attire. These staged events produced images submitted to immigration authorities as proof of genuine relationships.
The indictment suggested the network filed fake immigration paperwork, tricking officials into believing the marriages’ authenticity. U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald emphasized: “The defendants operated a multimillion-dollar marriage fraud scheme, exploiting immigration laws for profit. Today’s arrests dismantled a significant part of one of the largest charged marriage fraud schemes in U.S. history.” McDonald reiterated the firm resolve of authorities to pursue anyone corrupting the lawful immigration system.