Trump admin targets green card marriage fraud scheme that resulted in thousands of sham marriages
The Justice Department announced criminal charges against 11 individuals accused of operating a decade-long marriage fraud network that arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages, allowing Chinese nationals to fraudulently obtain U.S. green cards in exchange for payments of up to $100,000 per arrangement.
Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York described the operation as one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in U.S. history. The case represents the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on immigration-related fraud.
The scope of the indictment
A 21-page indictment unsealed in the Southern District of New York alleges the scheme operated from 2016 and was primarily organized by Amy Cheng, Xiao Mei Chan and Gang Zheng.
While recruiters were largely based in New York City, prosecutors said the network arranged fraudulent marriages across the U.S. and overseas, including in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Vanuatu and China.
Fox News reported that 10 of the 11 defendants are naturalized U.S. citizens originally from China, while one defendant holds green card status.
How the alleged scheme worked
Court documents describe a structured operation involving multiple roles. Facilitators identified foreign-national customers, recruiters found willing U.S. citizens and assistants prepared immigration documents while coordinating fraudulent green card applications with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Prosecutors said the network relied on marriage officiants, attorneys, tax preparers and insurance providers to make the relationships appear legitimate.
According to the indictment, foreign nationals paid facilitators up to approximately $100,000 for a sham marriage and assistance obtaining permanent residency. Facilitators allegedly paid participating U.S. citizens as much as $30,000, usually in installments linked to milestones in the immigration process, while recruiters received commissions of up to $5,000 for each citizen they recruited.
In many cases, prosecutors said the couples did not know each other before participating in the scheme. Some allegedly met for the first time shortly before obtaining marriage licenses, after which the network staged wedding ceremonies and photographs to create the appearance of genuine relationships.
The Justice Department released images from the indictment showing alleged staged ceremonies, including a January 15, 2025, ceremony involving a foreign national, Anthony Cheng and Erika Johnson, as well as another ceremony on December 17, 2024, involving Sigrid Cetino, Anthony Cheng and another foreign national.
Officials respond
Attorney General Todd Blanche described the case as part of a broader Justice Department effort to combat immigration fraud.
“This Department of Justice is rooting out fraud everywhere, including in our immigration system,” Blanche said.
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald for the Southern District of New York said investigators believe the network generated tens of millions of dollars over its decade-long operation, making it one of the largest marriage fraud cases prosecuted by federal authorities.
McDonald also said the investigation could lead to additional consequences beyond criminal charges, including possible efforts to revoke green cards obtained through fraudulent marriages.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services highlighted its role in the investigation, saying the arrests followed an indictment accusing 11 people of orchestrating more than 1,000 sham marriages, primarily benefiting citizens of China.
A broader immigration enforcement push
The case comes amid increased scrutiny of marriage-based immigration petitions under the Trump administration. Officials have emphasized stricter marriage interviews, more arrests and prosecutions involving sham marriage networks and closer reviews of supporting documentation.
Marriage fraud prosecutions are not new, but officials say the scale of this case separates it from previous investigations.
A 2018 case in Connecticut involved a smaller operation in which individuals entered into multiple sham marriages to sponsor green card applications, resulting in charges against five defendants. In another case, federal prosecutors in Los Angeles charged a man posing as an immigration attorney and his daughter over a scheme that paired Chinese clients with U.S. citizens for sham marriages, charging fees of up to $50,000.
Compared with those cases, prosecutors say the New York network’s alleged scale — more than 1,000 fraudulent marriages generating tens of millions of dollars over a decade — represents a significant expansion in the size and organization of such operations.
What happens next
All 11 defendants face charges of conspiracy to commit marriage and immigration fraud, along with conspiracy to encourage the unlawful residence of immigrants in the United States.
The case remains in its early stages following the arrests. Investigators have not yet determined whether additional charges will be filed or whether participants in the alleged marriages could face civil immigration consequences, including possible green card revocations.