WASHINGTON, DC – August 15, 2026 (STL.News) DOJ – Marriage Fraud – The U.S. Department of Justice has charged 11 people in what federal authorities describe as one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in U.S. history, alleging that a nationwide network arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages primarily for Chinese nationals seeking U.S. immigration status.
Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the federal case Wednesday, Aug. 12, after a two-count indictment was unsealed in the Southern District of New York.
Federal prosecutors allege the network operated from at least 2016 through July 2026 and collected tens of millions of dollars from foreign nationals seeking lawful permanent resident status.
According to the indictment, foreign nationals paid facilitators as much as approximately $100,000 for a sham marriage and assistance obtaining a green card. Participating U.S. citizens allegedly received as much as approximately $30,000, while recruiters could receive commissions of up to approximately $5,000 for each American citizen they recruited.
The Justice Department said 10 of the 11 defendants were arrested on Aug. 12 and were expected to make initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains, New York.
DOJ – Marriage Fraud Scheme – Todd Blanche targets alleged immigration fraud
Blanche said the prosecution reflects the Justice Department’s effort to identify fraud within the U.S. immigration system.
“This Department of Justice is rooting out fraud everywhere — including in our immigration system,” Blanche said in the DOJ announcement.
The attorney general said those arrested allegedly used sham marriages to obtain immigration benefits for foreign nationals and said such schemes would not be tolerated.
In separate remarks reported by Reuters, Blanche characterized the operation as one of the largest U.S. marriage fraud prosecutions and said the case demonstrated the lengths some people would allegedly go to circumvent the immigration system.
The charges come as the Trump administration has intensified scrutiny of immigration fraud and other methods authorities contend are being used to improperly obtain legal immigration status.
The allegations, however, remain unproven. An indictment is an accusation and does not establish guilt.
DOJ says network stretched across U.S. and overseas
Although the alleged network was principally based in New York City, prosecutors say its activities extended well beyond New York.
The indictment alleges sham marriages were arranged in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, as well as overseas in Vanuatu and China.
Federal authorities described an organized structure in which different participants performed specific functions.
Facilitators allegedly identified foreign-national customers and oversaw arrangements. Recruiters found U.S. citizens willing to participate. Assistants allegedly prepared immigration documents and coordinated fraudulent green card applications.
Prosecutors say the operation also relied on marriage officiants, attorneys, tax preparers, insurance providers and other service providers.
Authorities have not alleged that every professional or service provider who may have interacted with participants knowingly took part in criminal activity.
DOJ – Marriage Fraud Scheme – How the alleged sham marriages worked
According to prosecutors, the alleged operation went considerably further than simply arranging marriages on paper.
Some foreign nationals and U.S. citizens allegedly met for the first time immediately before obtaining their marriage licenses.
Participants then held purported wedding ceremonies and staged photographs intended to create the appearance of legitimate relationships.
Federal investigators allege they manufactured additional evidence after the weddings to make the marriages appear genuine.
That allegedly included opening joint financial and utility accounts, filing joint tax returns, obtaining insurance policies and staging additional photographs.
The indictment further alleges that participants prepared and submitted green card applications containing materially false information.
When U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services required interviews, prosecutors say participants were coached on how to conceal the true nature of their relationships and provide false answers to immigration officers.
Authorities say at least hundreds of fraudulent green card applications and supporting documents were submitted to USCIS.
Per DOJ – Marriage Fraud – More than 1,000 marriages allegedly arranged
The scale of the operation is one of the most significant elements of the federal case.
DOJ alleges the defendants and their co-conspirators recruited hundreds of U.S. citizens and arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages during the alleged conspiracy.
At prices reaching approximately $100,000 for foreign-national customers, prosecutors estimate the network collected tens of millions of dollars over its years of operation.
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald for the Southern District of New York described the organization as an alleged nationwide and international multimillion-dollar marriage fraud operation designed to exploit U.S. immigration laws for profit.
McDonald said the arrests dismantled what authorities consider a central component of one of the largest marriage fraud schemes charged in the country.
Who are the 11 defendants?
The federal indictment identifies the defendants as:
- Amy Cheng, 72, also known as “Amy Zhou,” of Brooklyn, New York
- Xiao Mei Chan, 64, also known as “Carmen,” of Queens, New York
- Christine Lu, 52, also known as “Lily,” of Queens, New York
- Jing Yan Ye, 43, also known as “Serene,” of Staten Island, New York
- Xiao Yan Chen, 48, also known as “Anna,” of Brooklyn, New York
- Gang Zheng, 61, also known as “Michael” and “Mike,” of Queens, New York
- Anthony Cheng, 47, of Staten Island, New York
- Michelle Duenas, 35, of Staten Island, New York
- Angela Duenas, 26, of Staten Island, New York
- Sigrid Cetino, 32, of Peekskill, New York
- Erika Johnson, 43, of Ossining, New York
Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration fraud.
That charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison.
Each is also charged with conspiracy to encourage the unlawful residence of aliens in the United States, an offense carrying a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison.
Those maximum penalties do not represent expected sentences. If any defendant is convicted, a federal judge would ultimately determine the sentence based on applicable law and the circumstances of the case.
Searches conducted across New York City
Federal agents executed search warrants when they made arrests in Sunset Park, Brooklyn; Flushing, Queens; and Staten Island, according to prosecutors.
The investigation involved several federal and local agencies.
The Southern District of New York credited Homeland Security Investigations Hudson Valley, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and HSI Jacksonville also participated.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jake Sidransky and Reyhan Watson of the Southern District of New York’s White Plains Division are handling the prosecution.
Federal authorities focus on immigration system integrity
USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow said federal immigration authorities are pursuing organizations and individuals suspected of profiting from marriage fraud.
Homeland Security Investigations officials similarly described the alleged operation as a business model built around charging foreign nationals, recruiting American citizens and creating evidence intended to deceive immigration authorities.
The case matters not only because of the number of defendants but also because of the alleged scale and sophistication of the network.
If prosecutors prove the allegations, the operation involved a coordinated system that allegedly connected paying foreign nationals with American participants, staged marriages, manufactured evidence of relationships and guided applicants through the federal immigration process.
The indictment also demonstrates why federal authorities treat marriage fraud as more than a false statement on an immigration application. A fraudulent marriage can potentially become the foundation for obtaining lawful permanent residence and other immigration benefits.
The government must now prove its allegations in federal court.
Legal notice: The charges described in the indictment are allegations only. Amy Cheng, Xiao Mei Chan, Christine Lu, Jing Yan Ye, Xiao Yan Chen, Gang Zheng, Anthony Cheng, Michelle Duenas, Angela Duenas, Sigrid Cetino and Erika Johnson are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
