Federal authorities have charged 11 individuals in connection with a scheme that allegedly defrauded the U.S. government of millions of dollars by arranging sham marriages to help hundreds of Chinese nationals obtain green cards. The Department of Justice announced the charges Wednesday, detailing a decade-long operation orchestrated from New York.
According to court documents, U.S. citizens were paid up to $30,000 to enter into fraudulent marriages with immigrants seeking lawful permanent resident status. The defendants are accused of charging approximately $100,000 per green card, generating tens of millions of dollars over the course of the scheme. Officials believe the group facilitated more than 1,000 sham weddings, marking it as one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in U.S. history.
"This scheme was not a quick, fly-by-night operation but rather a yearslong, multibillion dollar cottage industry to criminally assist people who would not, or legally could not, otherwise become citizens of the United States," Attorney General Todd Blanche stated. He added that such schemes "rob our country of its ability to know who should be and who should not be allowed in America."
The indictment, filed in New York, includes charges against individuals accused of officiating the fake ceremonies. To legitimize the arrangements, defendants reportedly helped stage photos of couples with families in public places like restaurants. The accused then assisted the immigrants with the lawful permanent status application process.
The charges emerge amidst heightened scrutiny of immigration processes, including restrictions implemented during the Trump administration aimed at curbing both legal and illegal immigration.