The Justice Department announced charges against 11 individuals for participating in a large-scale marriage fraud scheme. This scheme involved over 1,000 false marriages between Chinese nationals and U.S. citizens.
A 21-page indictment from New York’s Southern District detailed the operation, which occurred from 2016 to 2026. The key figures in this case were Amy Cheng, Xiao Mei Chan, and Gang Zheng.
According to the indictment, the fraudulent marriages aimed to secure green cards for Chinese nationals. Defendants used various methods such as word of mouth, social media, and advertisements to promote these services. They targeted citizens of the People’s Republic of China, promising to arrange sham marriages that would support applications for permanent resident status in the U.S.
The indictment revealed foreign nationals paid up to $100,000 to facilitators for their service in securing sham marriages and green card applications. Facilitators earned commissions around $5,000 for each arrangement.
Included in the indictment were photos of supposed sham marriage ceremonies, allegedly used to convince U.S. immigration officials of their validity. These ceremonies often took place in local restaurants. There, participants wore traditional Chinese wedding attire and invited friends and family to create an air of authenticity.
The indictment noted that while many recruiters operated from New York, they organized marriages across the U.S. and abroad. Locations cited included Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Vanuatu, and China.