Sham Marriage Scheme Uncovered

Federal prosecutors have revealed that an unsealed indictment outlines a fraudulent marriage scheme allegedly orchestrated by more than a dozen individuals in New York. The scheme mainly aimed to assist Chinese nationals in acquiring U.S. citizenship.

The indictments involve 11 New Yorkers, primarily from New York City and Westchester County, accused of running an extensive marriage fraud network since 2016 until July 2026. This network allegedly arranged unions between American citizens and predominantly Chinese nationals.

While many of these phony marriages reportedly took place in states like Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida, some were also arranged overseas, including in places like Vanuatu and China.

According to prosecutors, individuals acting as brokers in this scheme matched foreign clients with American citizens, who were compensated around $30,000 for their participation. These intermediaries stood to gain about $100,000 for each bogus marriage, while the recruiters earned roughly $5,000 for every American they enlisted.

Subsequently, other involved parties might submit fraudulent green card applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Attorney General Todd Blanche commented, “The Department of Justice is actively working to eliminate fraud, including in our immigration processes. Those arrested today are accused of orchestrating an intricate plan to unlawfully secure citizenship for foreign nationals through sham marriages. Such actions are a direct violation of U.S. laws and will not be tolerated.”

The individuals arrested in connection with this scheme include:

• Amy Chen, known as “Amy Chow,” 72, from Brooklyn, New York.
• Xiao Mei Zhang, referred to as “Carmen,” 64, from Queens, New York.
• Christine Lu, nicknamed “Lily,” 52, also from Queens.
• Jing Yan Ye, or “Selene,” 43, a resident of Staten Island, New York.
• Xiao Yan Chen, referred to as “Anna,” 48, from Brooklyn.
• Gan Jen, 61, known as “Michael” or “Mike,” from Queens.
• Anthony Chen, 47, from Staten Island.
• Michelle Duenas, 35, also from Staten Island.
• Angela Duenas, 26, from Staten Island.
• Sigrid Settino, 32, from Peekskill, New York.
• Erica Johnson, 43, from Ossining, New York.

U.S. Attorney Jamie MacDonald stated, “The defendant and his associates allegedly operated a multi-million dollar marriage fraud operation both nationally and internationally, exploiting U.S. immigration law for their gain.”

He added, “Today’s arrests dismantle a key part of the largest marriage fraud scheme in U.S. history. This prosecution highlights our commitment, alongside law enforcement partners, to pursue those attempting to corrupt our legal immigration system.”

Each defendant faces one count of conspiracy to commit both marriage and immigration fraud, potentially resulting in up to five years in prison if convicted. Furthermore, they are charged with conspiracy to encourage the illegal presence of aliens in the U.S., which carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years.