{
  "id": 841357,
  "title": "US charges 11 in sham marriage immigration scheme involving Chinese nationals",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/us-charges-11-in-sham-marriage-immigration-scheme-involving-chinese",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-14T05:24:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Channel News Asia",
    "slug": "channel-news-asia",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/us-sham-marriage-chinese-nationals-immigration-scheme-6315761"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a major crackdown on immigration fraud, 11 individuals have been charged in the United States with their involvement in a scheme that facilitated the fraudulent acquisition of green cards by Chinese nationals through sham marriages with American citizens. The Department of Justice announced the charges on Wednesday, stating that the scheme operated from 2016 to 2021, targeting over 1,000 sham marriages across the United States and internationally. American citizens were reportedly paid up to $30,000 to enter into these fraudulent marriages, while the defendants charged up to $100,000 per green card. The suspects, aged between 26 and 72, were arrested on Wednesday morning, according to a press release from the US Department of Justice. The network, primarily based in New York City, allegedly operated across the US and overseas, including in Vanuatu and China, arranging more than 1,000 sham weddings. Attorney General Todd Blanche described the scheme as a years-long, multibillion-dollar operation aimed at assisting individuals who could not legally obtain citizenship. The charges come amid ongoing restrictions on immigration imposed by the Trump administration, which aimed to curb both legal and illegal immigration. The 11 defendants, including some accused of officiating the sham weddings, face charges in an indictment filed in New York.",
  "summary": "United States officials believe more than 1,000 sham marriages were arranged over a decade, mainly for Chinese nationals seeking green cards. They included matches with at least 14 active members of the United States Army.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}