The US Department of Justice has indicted 11 individuals, accusing them of orchestrating over 1,000 sham marriages over more than a decade to help primarily Chinese foreign nationals fraudulently obtain US green cards.
The Justice Department issued a press release on its official website Wednesday, listing the 11 defendants who were arrested that morning, noting that they are expected to appear in court later the same day.
According to the indictment, from 2016 to July 2026, the 11 defendants operated a marriage fraud network spanning the US and overseas, arranging fake marriages between foreign nationals—mainly Chinese citizens—and US citizens.
This network solicited foreign clients through referrals, social media, and advertisements, claiming they could assist them in obtaining green cards. Clients were required to pay intermediaries up to $100,000 (about 410,000 Malaysian ringgit), and those recruiting US citizens to participate in the sham marriages could earn up to around $5,000 (about 20,000 ringgit) per successful match.
To deceive immigration authorities, the defendants also arranged wedding ceremonies for the foreign clients and US citizens. Photos attached to the indictment show that some ceremonies took place in restaurants, with participants changing into traditional Chinese wedding attire; coordinators, recruiters, and the "newlyweds" would also invite friends and family to create the appearance of a genuine marriage.
US Attorney General Blanche stated that the Department of Justice is cracking down comprehensively on all forms of fraud, including those within the immigration system. He said the aforementioned defendants are suspected of orchestrating a sophisticated scheme to help foreign nationals illegally obtain US citizenship through sham marriages. "Such conduct blatantly defies the United States and its laws, and the Trump administration will not tolerate it."