Federal authorities have charged 11 people in connection with what prosecutors describe as one of the largest marriage-fraud operations in U.S. history. According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly operated a nationwide and international network from at least 2016 through July 2026 that arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages, primarily between Chinese foreign nationals and U.S. citizens, to fraudulently obtain lawful permanent resident status. Foreign nationals allegedly paid as much as $100,000 for the arrangements, while participating U.S. citizens could receive up to $30,000. The operation was based largely in New York City but allegedly arranged fraudulent marriages throughout several U.S. states and overseas. Authorities allege that the network went to significant lengths to make the marriages appear legitimate, including staging wedding and relationship photographs, creating joint bank and utility accounts, filing joint tax returns, obtaining insurance policies, preparing fraudulent Green Card applications, and coaching couples on how to provide false answers during USCIS interviews. The scheme allegedly resulted in hundreds of fraudulent Green Card applications and generated tens of millions of dollars. USCIS, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and other agencies participated in the investigation. Each defendant faces conspiracy charges related to marriage and immigration fraud, carrying potential prison sentences of up to five and 10 years. The charges remain allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.