Federal prosecutors have charged 11 individuals in what they describe as one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in the United States, alleging a decade-long scheme involving more than 1,000 sham marriages. The scheme aimed to help foreign nationals illegally obtain lawful permanent residency, commonly known as green cards, in the U.S.
According to an unsealed indictment, a group of "facilitators" allegedly charged foreign nationals as much as $100,000 to arrange fraudulent marriages. These facilitators, in turn, hired "recruiters" who found U.S. citizens willing to participate. The U.S. citizens involved were reportedly paid up to approximately $30,000 for their participation in the sham marriages.
The indictment further states that the facilitators employed various professionals, including attorneys, tax preparers, and marriage officiants, to support their operations. Prosecutors presented evidence, including photos of alleged sham marriage ceremonies, which they claimed were submitted to federal authorities as part of fraudulent green card applications.
While the core operations of the facilitators and recruiters were reportedly based in New York, the scheme extended to orchestrating fraudulent marriages in numerous other states, including Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. The alleged facilitators also oversaw marriages conducted internationally, with operations reported in countries such as China and Vanuatu. The Justice Department has characterized the alleged conspiracy as a multimillion-dollar operation that persisted for roughly 10 years.