11 Charged in Immigration Fraud Involving Over 1,000 Sham Marriages

Good afternoon. Today we are announcing the arrest and unsealing of an indictment out of the Southern District of New York, charging 11 individuals for allegedly overseeing an extensive decade-long marriage fraud scheme involving more than 1,000 sham marriages between Chinese nationals and United States citizens, and then the submission of fraudulent applications for green cards. This is one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in United States history. This scheme was not a quick fly-by-night operation, but rather a years-long multi-million dollar cottage industry to criminally assist people who would not or legally could not otherwise become citizens of the United States. The men and women who facilitated this scheme were all naturalized citizens originally from China and one green card holder. As alleged, some of the charged defendants acted as facilitators who orchestrated the marriage fraud scheme pairing foreign nationals seeking immigration status with United States citizens willing to participate and engage in a sham marriage. These facilitators employed attorneys, tax preparers, and marriage officiants. Some of the other charged defendants acted as recruiters by finding and recruiting United States citizens to participate in the scheme, and other defendants acted as officiants officiating dozens of these alleged fake marriages. Now often after these phony ceremonies, defendants would stage images of families at restaurants to create the appearance of a legitimate wedding, and some of the defendants also facilitated sham marriages overseas in China. After the marriages took place, the actual ceremony, the then married couples would visit a local office affiliated with the scheme, sign forms for submission to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, learn about the USCIS interview process to apply for a green card, and then execute prenuptial agreements, which not surprisingly given the allegation these were sham marriages, waived their rights to share in the other's estate upon death, child support, and other claims in marital property. These charges and the indictments now unsealed, they show how far people will go to cheat our immigration system, gaining American citizenship and legal status to reside in this great nation is a sacred privilege, and we will ensure it is always done in accordance with the law protecting our communities and national security.