11 Individuals Indicted in Scam to Gain Citizenship

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Most people look forward to getting married. The day is full of bliss, the uniting of two families, and lots of food. But what about when marriage becomes a scam? What about when fraudulent marriages between citizens become a means to obtain legal immigration?

Recently, 11 individuals have been indicted in Florida for attempting to arrange fake marriages between U.S. Citizens and Chinese nationals to obtain legal immigration into the U.S. Those indicted were accused of recruiting American U.S. military personnel to help stage marriages with Chinese nationals in exchange for cash. And from March 2024 to February 2025, the activities flew under the radar successfully in Florida, New York, Connecticut, and Nevada.

Of the accused, we meet Anna Chen, 54, of New York, Chen and Linden Wang, 38, U.S. citizens, Yafeng Deng, 23, Hailing Feng, 27, Kiah Holly, 29, and Jaden Bullion, 24, and Chinese nationals Jiawei Chen, 29, Xionghu Fang, 41, Tao Fan, 26, and Kin Man Cheok, 32.

In return for their involvement, these individuals were paid to create false photo sessions (so the relationships appeared genuine), host the weddings, help with the process, and then allow the divorce. As just one example, Chen and Linlin Wang were charged with marriage fraud for paying U.S. Navy reservist Raymond Zumba $10,000 in cash to marry Chinese national Sha Tie in New York. Zumba then persuaded other Navy personnel to enter into similar marriage deals, even offering to pay for unauthorized IDs.

While Zumba’s case is striking, it is just one of many fraudulent marriages happening all across the United States. Christian Post reports other similar cases have involved Brinio Arena, Morgan Cambers, and Jacinth Bailey, all pleading guilty to similar schemes.

Many came into wealth through these fraudulent paths, but all are now awaiting long sentences for their heinous actions. According to the United States Attorney’s Office of the Middle District of Florida, “This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Mesrobian and Michael J. Coolican.”

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Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.