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WATCH: AG Blanche announces charges over green card scheme involving 'sham' marriages
PBS • • nation
Key Points:
- The Department of Justice has charged nearly a dozen individuals in a multimillion-dollar scheme involving fraudulent green cards obtained through sham marriages between Chinese nationals and U.S. citizens.
- American citizens were paid up to $30,000 to participate in fake marriages, with defendants charging up to $100,000 per green card, generating tens of millions over a decade.
- Authorities believe the group arranged over 1,000 sham weddings, marking one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in U.S. history.
- The scheme involved staging fake weddings and family photos to legitimize applications for lawful permanent resident status, undermining immigration enforcement efforts.
- The indictment includes 11 defendants, some accused of officiating sham weddings, and reflects ongoing immigration crackdowns under the Trump administration.
