This is huge! Another border loophole closed.
Federal prosecutors say an alleged immigration fraud network spent a decade turning fake trips to the altar into real applications for green cards, arranging more than 1,000 sham marriages and generating tens of millions of dollars in the process.
The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that 11 defendants have been charged in what authorities describe as one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in U.S. history.
Each defendant faces one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration fraud and one count of conspiracy to encourage the unlawful residence of aliens in the United States. The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
According to prosecutors, the operation began in 2016 and primarily connected foreign nationals — many of them citizens of the People's Republic of China — with U.S. citizens willing to enter fraudulent marriages.
Although centered around New York City, its reach allegedly extended far beyond the city. Prosecutors say sham marriages were arranged in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, as well as overseas in Vanuatu and China.
“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,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
The
operation described by prosecutors went considerably further than simply introducing two strangers and sending them to a courthouse.
“The network included facilitators who oversaw the scheme and identified foreign-national customers; recruiters who found willing United States citizens and helped ensure their continued participation; and assistants who prepared immigration paperwork and coordinated the submission of fraudulent lawful permanent residency (Green Card) applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS),” the Justice Department said.
Prosecutors say the network also relied on marriage officiants, lawyers, tax preparers, insurance providers and other service providers.
U.S. citizens participating in the alleged arrangements could receive as much as $30,000.
The couples would meet, obtain marriage licenses and participate in wedding ceremonies. They would even pose together for photographs.
But according to prosecutors, the effort to manufacture the appearance of a genuine marriage continued well after the ceremony.
Participants allegedly opened joint bank accounts and filed joint tax returns, creating the kind of documentary record that could be presented as evidence that they were actually building lives together.
The couples would also visit offices associated with the operation, sign immigration documents and prepare for the USCIS interview process required for a green card.
Then there were the prenuptial agreements.
“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,” Blanche explained.
Those agreements waived rights to share in one another's estates upon death — an arrangement Blanche said was unsurprising given prosecutors' contention that the marriages were never genuine.
And when the immigration objective had been achieved, authorities allege, the marriage could end.
“Once a foreign national obtained a green card, they arranged for a divorce,” U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald said.
McDonald said authorities believe the network collected tens of millions of dollars during its decade in operation.
Federal officials are now considering what to do about green cards allegedly obtained through the network, including whether to take action against the immigration status of people who participated.
“Anyone willing to lie, cheat or steal their way to legal immigration status is a direct threat to America’s national security,” USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said.
The defendants are Amy Cheng, also known as Amy Zhou, 72; Xiao Mei Chan, also known as Carmen, 64; Christine Lu, also known as Lily, 52; Jing Yan Ye, also known as Serene, 43; Xiao Yan Chen, also known as Anna, 48; Gang Zheng, also known as Michael and Mike, 61; Anthony Cheng, 47; Michelle Duenas, 35; Angela Duenas, 26; Sigrid Cetino, 32; and Erika Johnson, 43.
