US prosecutors charged 11 individuals in a sham marriage fraud network that operated from 2016 to July 2026, arranging more than 1,000 fake marriages primarily between Chinese nationals and American citizens. The scheme involved at least 14 active-duty US soldiers and generated tens of millions of dollars, officials said [1, 2, 3].
The defendants included naturalized US citizens from China and one green card holder. They faced conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, immigration document fraud, and encouraging unlawful residence charges, carrying maximum sentences of up to 15 years in prison [2, 3].
Chinese nationals paid up to $100,000 each to participate in the sham marriages. US citizens recruited to pose as spouses received roughly $30,000, sometimes paid in installments. Recruiters earned commissions of about $5,000 per US citizen involved [2, 3].
The fraud scheme used staged weddings, fabricated joint financial records, coordinated false statements, and photos to convince immigration officials of legitimate marriages. Key roles in the network included facilitators, recruiters, marriage officiants, attorneys, tax preparers, and insurance providers [2, 3].
At least six US soldiers stationed in Kentucky traveled to New York City to participate in sham weddings. Between May 2023 and August 2025, at least 14 active-duty soldiers based in Kentucky were involved [1].
The operation extended internationally with links to China and Vanuatu. Domestically, it operated across multiple states including Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee [1, 2, 3]. The US Army Criminal Investigation Division and other agencies led the investigation [1].
The indictment charging the 11 defendants was unsealed in federal court in New York on August 12, 2026 [2, 3]. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the scheme was 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" [2]. US Attorney Jamie McDonald said the arrests "dismantled a central component of one of the largest marriage fraud schemes charged in United States history" [2].
