Federal authorities dealt a severe blow to one of the largest clandestine immigration fraud networks in United States history. The Department of Justice (DOJ) made public this Wednesday a formal indictment against 11 people accused of orchestrating a multimillion-dollar scheme that, for a decade, arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages to grant permanent residence ("Green Card") to foreign citizens, mostly from the People's Republic of China.

According to the 21-page indictment filed in the Southern District of New York, foreign clients paid up to $100,000 for these illegal services. For their part, US citizens recruited to marry received payments of up to $30,000, distributed in installments linked to the progress of the immigration process before the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The recruiters charged commissions of approximately $5,000 for each participant obtained.

Attorney General Todd Blanche called the operation a decisive blow against “a multibillion-dollar underground industry” that had operated since at least 2016. “Obtaining American citizenship and legal status to reside in this great nation is a sacred privilege, and we will ensure that it is always done in accordance with the law,” the official said.

Wedding logistics based on deception

The criminal organization, with headquarters in Brooklyn and Queens, operated through a complex division of functions that included facilitators, recruiters, paperwork writers and wedding officiants. In addition, they had the collaboration of lawyers, tax advisors and insurance companies to give an appearance of authenticity to the unions.

Fictitious couples often met for the first time moments before applying for a marriage license. To fool authorities, the defendants organized mock weddings and banquets in states such as New York, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Kentucky and Tennessee, and even abroad, such as China and Vanuatu. The authorities included in the court file several photographs of these false celebrations, used as evidence of the deception.

The defendants subsequently fabricated additional evidence by opening shared bank accounts, taking out joint insurance policies, and filing combined tax returns, in addition to instructing those involved on how to lie during official interviews with USCIS.

Arrests and Federal Charges Defendants Face

After executing search warrants in Sunset Park (Brooklyn) and Flushing (Queens), agents arrested the 11 suspects, including alleged leaders Amy Cheng, Xiao Mei Chan, Xiao Yan Chen and Gang Zheng, as well as collaborators Christine Lu, Jing Yan Ye, Anthony Cheng, Michelle Dueñas, Ángela Dueñas, Sigrid Cetino and Erika Johnson.

All of the defendants appeared in federal court in White Plains. Each faces one count of conspiracy to commit marriage and immigration fraud, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to encourage the illegal residence of aliens, which carries up to 10 years in prison. Federal Prosecutor Jamie McDonald highlighted that this operation dismantled a network that generated “tens of millions of dollars” undermining the immigration system. The authorities recalled that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a trial.

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