Connecticut's Marriage Scam Problem Is Bigger Than You Think
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A federal indictment unsealed on Wednesday, August 12, accused 11 individuals of orchestrating over 1,000 fraudulent marriages across a decade-long scheme. At least 100 of these sham ceremonies were conducted right here in Connecticut between 2020 and 2023.
A Multimillion-Dollar Operation
The fraudulent marriages were primarily arranged between U.S. citizens and foreign nationals from mainland China seeking lawful permanent resident status.
While the organizers were based principally in New York City, the network arranged sham marriages nationwide and overseas—spanning Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Vanuatu, and China. Federal prosecutors identified four primary facilitators leading the network: Amy Cheng, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Xiao Mei Chan, of Queens, N.Y.; Christine Lu, of Queens; and Jing Yan Ye, of Staten Island, N.Y. Within Connecticut, staged ceremonies took place in Middletown, Southington, Bridgeport and elsewhere.
The Money Behind the Scam
Foreign nationals paid facilitators up to $100,000 to secure a fake marriage and green card. U.S. citizens recruited to act as complicit spouses received up to $30,000 in staggered payouts.
Staged Weddings: Couples often met for the first time right before applying for their marriage license. Facilitators hired officiants, rented traditional attire, and staged banquets with fake guests to produce convincing photos for immigration officials.
Pre-Arranged Divorces: Couples signed agreements to live separately, and facilitators immediately filed for divorce once the green card was issued.
This massive bust may be just the tip of the iceberg, as other sham marriage operations have surfaced across the state.
Between the Lines: Organized marriage fraud networks are operating right in our backyard—raising serious questions about how local systems allowed hundreds of sham ceremonies to slip through the cracks.