Prosecutors in New York announced the arrest of 11 individuals for their alleged involvement in a large-scale marriage fraud scheme. The scheme, which lasted over a decade, involved arranging sham marriages between American citizens and foreign nationals, primarily Chinese nationals, in exchange for large sums of money.
Details of the Scheme
According to the indictment, the defendants made enormous sums of money for themselves by facilitating these sham marriages. Foreign nationals paid facilitators as much as $100,000 for assistance in obtaining a sham marriage and applying for a green card. The sham wedding ceremonies were often held at nearby restaurants, where the foreign nationals and United States citizens would change into traditional Chinese wedding attire to create the appearance of a legitimate wedding.
The marriages allegedly included a prenuptial clause stipulating that the husband and wife would live separate lives and have nothing to do with one another. Once a foreign national obtained a green card, the defendants would arrange for a divorce.
The 11 people arrested are being arraigned in White Plains and face up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
