{"id":41899,"date":"2026-08-12T23:55:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T18:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=41899"},"modified":"2026-08-12T23:55:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T18:55:00","slug":"11-face-charges-in-sham-marriage-green-card-scheme-for-chinese-nationals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=41899","title":{"rendered":"11 face charges in sham marriage green card scheme for Chinese nationals"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">Nearly a dozen people tied to a decade-long marriage fraud network involving more than 1,000 sham unions face federal charges related to a scheme that charged Chinese nationals up to $100,000 to participate in fake marriages to U.S. citizens in an effort to secure green cards, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">A federal indictment unsealed in New York City names 11 defendants \u2014 all naturalized U.S. citizens from China and one green card holder \u2014 for their roles in the marriage and immigration fraud scheme.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">They are charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration document fraud, as well as conspiracy to encourage the unlawful residence of aliens in the United States, the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_3119855\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/justice-department\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Justice Department<\/a> said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_3119856\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/woman-exposed-running-visa-fraud-scheme-spanning-years-posing-immigration-officer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>WOMAN EXPOSED RUNNING VISA FRAUD SCHEME SPANNING YEARS, POSING AS IMMIGRATION OFFICER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/chinese-marriage-fraud-001.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/chinese-marriage-fraud-001.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/chinese-marriage-fraud-001.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/chinese-marriage-fraud-001.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/931\/523\/chinese-marriage-fraud-001.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1862\/1046\/chinese-marriage-fraud-001.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/720\/405\/chinese-marriage-fraud-001.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1440\/810\/chinese-marriage-fraud-001.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/chinese-marriage-fraud-001.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Fake marriage images.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>A foreign national (left), Anthony Cheng (center), and Erika Johnson (right) in a sham marriage ceremony on or about Jan. 15, 2025.Sigrid Cetino (left), Anthony Cheng (center), and a foreign national (right) in a sham marriage ceremony on or about Dec. 17, 2024. In total, 11 people are charged with participating in a marriage fraud network that pair Chinese nationals with U.S. citizens for sham nuptials, the Justice Department said Wednesday.<\/span> <span>(Justice Department)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The indictment is one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in the U.S., authorities said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;This scheme was not a quick fly-by-night operation, but rather a years-long, multimillion-dollar cottage industry to criminally assist people who would not, or legally could not, otherwise become citizens of the United States,&#8221; U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Some of the defendants worked as facilitators, recruiters and officiants, authorities said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">They were identified as: Amy Cheng, 72; Xiao Mei Chan, 64; Christine Lu, 52; Jing Yan Ye, 43; Xiao Yan Chen, 48; Gang Zheng, 61; Anthony Cheng, 47; Michelle Duenas, 35; Angela Duenas, 26; Sigrid Cetino, 32; and Erika Johnson, 43.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_3119857\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/doj-moves-strip-citizenship-17-people-accused-hiding-disturbing-crimes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>DOJ MOVES TO STRIP CITIZENSHIP FROM 17 PEOPLE ACCUSED OF HIDING DISTURBING CRIMES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/Acting-AG-Todd-Blanche-Committee-Confirmation.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/Acting-AG-Todd-Blanche-Committee-Confirmation.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/Acting-AG-Todd-Blanche-Committee-Confirmation.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/Acting-AG-Todd-Blanche-Committee-Confirmation.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/931\/523\/Acting-AG-Todd-Blanche-Committee-Confirmation.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1862\/1046\/Acting-AG-Todd-Blanche-Committee-Confirmation.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/720\/405\/Acting-AG-Todd-Blanche-Committee-Confirmation.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1440\/810\/Acting-AG-Todd-Blanche-Committee-Confirmation.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/Acting-AG-Todd-Blanche-Committee-Confirmation.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Todd Blanche stands before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room in Washington, D.C.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>FILE &#8211; U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche appears before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, D.C. Blanche said the years-long sham involved millions of dollars in payments.<\/span> <span>(Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The New York City-based fraud ran from at least 2016 through July 2026, involving mostly Chinese citizens who married U.S. citizens, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The network included facilitators who oversaw <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_3119858\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/crime\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the scheme<\/a> and identified foreigners, recruiters who found willing American citizens and helped ensure their continued participation, and assistants who prepared immigration paperwork and coordinated the submission of green card applications, authorities said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The foreigners paid as much as $100,000 for the sham marriages, the DOJ said. U.S. citizens involved were paid as much as $30,000, mostly in installments tied to milestones in the green card application process. Recruiters were paid commissions of as much as $5,000 for each citizen willing to participate, authorities said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The fake marriages took place across the U.S. and overseas, including Vanuatu and China.<\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/chinese-marriage-fraud-002.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/chinese-marriage-fraud-002.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/chinese-marriage-fraud-002.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/chinese-marriage-fraud-002.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/931\/523\/chinese-marriage-fraud-002.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1862\/1046\/chinese-marriage-fraud-002.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/720\/405\/chinese-marriage-fraud-002.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1440\/810\/chinese-marriage-fraud-002.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/chinese-marriage-fraud-002.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Sham marriage image.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Photo from a sham wedding banquet.<\/span> <span>(Justice Department)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">To conceal the fraud, the defendants would stage photos of families at restaurants to create the appearance of a legitimate wedding, complete with wedding attire, photographers and attendees, Blanche said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;After the married couples would visit a local office affiliated with the scheme, sign forms for submission to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, learn about the USCIS interview process to apply for a green card, they would then execute prenuptial agreements, which, not surprisingly \u2014 given the allegation these were sham marriages \u2014 waived their rights to share in the other&#8217;s estate upon death,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The scheme also relied on marriage officiants, attorneys, tax preparers, insurance providers and other service providers.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The couples were coached before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) interviews, and once a foreign national obtained a green card, the organizers allegedly arranged for a divorce.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_3119859\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/vice-president-vance-says-migrant-communities-show-clear-pattern-federal-fraud-investigations-widen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>VICE PRESIDENT VANCE SAYS MIGRANT COMMUNITIES SHOW &#8216;CLEAR PATTERN&#8217; IN FEDERAL FRAUD AS INVESTIGATIONS WIDEN<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;We believe this network took in tens of millions of dollars over its decade-long operation, making it one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in U.S. history,&#8221; said Jamie McDonald, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Authorities were looking into whether the federal government will <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_3119860\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/trump-administration-orders-green-card-applicants-leave-us-apply-home-countries\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">revoke the green cards<\/a> for those involved in the fake marriages, McDonald said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The Trump administration has prioritized cracking down on marriage and immigration fraud as a key part of its enforcement efforts. Officials have emphasized stricter interviews, increased arrests and prosecutions of participants in <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_3119861\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/ice-opens-new-front-war-fraud-new-first-kind-policy-notice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sham marriage networks<\/a>, and increased scrutiny of documents.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">In February, 11 people were charged in a <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_3119862\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/woman-exposed-running-visa-fraud-scheme-spanning-years-posing-immigration-officer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">similar marriage fraud scheme<\/a> that involved the recruitment of U.S. military service members to marry Chinese citizens.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The scheme was orchestrated by a Chinese transnational gang that recruited military members to participate in <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_3119864\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/vice-president-vance-says-migrant-communities-show-clear-pattern-federal-fraud-investigations-widen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fraudulent marriages<\/a> so that Chinese citizens could obtain immigration benefits and access cards for U.S. military installations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said at the time.<\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Nearly a dozen people tied to a decade-long marriage fraud network involving more than 1,000 sham unions face federal charges related to a scheme that charged Chinese nationals up to $100,000 to participate in fake marriages to U.S. citizens in an effort to secure green cards, federal&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41900,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/chinese-marriage-fraud-001.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=41899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41899\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/41900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=41899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=41899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=41899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}