Major Marriage Fraud Indictment Unsealed by DOJ

The U.S. Department of Justice has revealed a two-count indictment against 11 individuals accused of running a large-scale marriage fraud operation. This scheme allegedly orchestrated more than 1,000 fake marriages over a span of ten years.

Federal prosecutors have called this one of the largest marriage fraud cases in the nation’s history, indicating it ran from 2016 to July 2026 and generated tens of millions of dollars in illegal profits.

The primary objective was to obtain fraudulent green cards and permanent residency for foreign nationals, mostly from the People’s Republic of China, as noted by the DOJ.

The 21-page indictment, recently filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, details how the defendants marketed their fraudulent services through social media, word of mouth, and targeted ads.

Reports suggest that foreign clients paid up to $100,000 each to facilitate sham marriages and process green card applications. In exchange, the network recruited U.S. citizens to pose as spouses, compensating them with as much as $30,000 per arrangement. Recruiters received commissions averaging around $5,000 for each participant they enrolled.

According to federal officials, the operation functioned as a “full-service” business designed to evade federal immigration checks rigorously. The facilitators hired officiants and photographers, staged wedding ceremonies, and even created fake documentation to bolster their claims. Sometimes, ceremonies were held in local restaurants where participants donned traditional wedding attire to lend an air of authenticity.

To further convince U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials of the legitimacy of these marriages, conspirators established joint bank accounts, shared cell phone plans, filed joint tax returns, and trained couples to lie during interviews. They even drafted secret prenuptial agreements to ensure the couples would maintain independence and not interfere in each other’s lives.

While primarily based in New York, the network’s activities spanned several states, including Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Tennessee, extending internationally to China and Vanuatu.

The investigation reportedly began after prosecutors discovered incriminating communications in an unrelated case, prompting a collaborative effort among various federal law enforcement agencies, USCIS, and the DOJ.

All 11 defendants now face federal charges, including conspiracy to commit marriage and immigration fraud, as well as facilitating unlawful residency. If found guilty on all counts, they could face up to 15 years in federal prison.

Authorities have stated that the investigation is still active, with federal agencies continuing to probe additional participants and facilitators linked to the fraudulent network.