Nearly 100 Indicted, 50 In Custody After Ice Uncovers Large-Scale Marriage Fraud Scheme

Authorities indicted 96 people and arrested 50 for a marriage fraud operation allegedly taking place in Vietnam and Houston.

A months-long Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) probe uncovered a criminal operation that enabled numerous foreign nationals to fraudulently obtain legal immigration status in the U.S., according to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement press release Monday.

Under the alleged terms of conspiracy, immigrant beneficiaries would pay around $50,000 to $70,000 to get married and score permanent resident status. The marriages were complete shams, according to the April indictment.

The spouses typically met only briefly before they obtained their marriage licenses and did not live together after becoming a “married” couple. The criminal operation behind the marriages would go so far as to produce fake wedding albums and falsified tax, utility and employment information — all in an effort to convince USCIS to approve the forms.

Leftists Beg College Athletes to Ditch SEC Schools in States with Redistricting

Costco Recalls Popular Item After Person Suffers Second-Degree Burns

MTG says GOP’s future ‘destroyed’ after Trump-backed primary challenger defeats Thomas Massie in primary

Trump admin accuses Hamas of backing Gaza flotilla, sanctions activist and Muslim Brotherhood networks

Trump roils Senate GOP amid struggles with immigration bill

Meet the four Pennsylvania Democrats who could flip control of the House

Poland offering US ‘firsthand experience’ to help transition Cuba from communism

Georgia Republicans head to runoff in secretary of state race defined by 2020 election claims

DHS blasts California sanctuary policies after jail releases illegal immigrant accused in hit-and-run

Squad-endorsed socialist wins heated primary to represent America’s birthplace

Former top Oregon GOP official secures nomination for governor as Republicans target blue-state pickup

Trump-backed senator cruises to primary win, setting up potential 4th term

Man accused of killing partner arrested in Mexico nearly two years after fleeing with their two children

Bob Brooks wins Pennsylvania’s 7th District primary to take on Ryan Mackenzie in general election

Three stabbed at crowded Rhode Island beach as hundreds of teens pack area, police say

“These arrests mark the culmination of a comprehensive yearlong multi-agency investigation into one of the largest alleged marriage fraud conspiracies ever documented in the Houston area,” Special HSI Agent in Charge Mark Dawson said in a Monday statement. “By working together with our partners from various federal law enforcement agencies, we have sent a resounding message that we are united in our effort to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that seek to circumvent U.S. law by fraudulent means.”

The indictment alleges Ashley Yen Nguyen, 53, was the leader of the criminal scheme and had operatives working throughout Texas and Vietnam.

People involved in the conspiracy allegedly recruited U.S. citizens to act as marriage petitioners, who would then receive a cut of the proceeds from the beneficiary spouses. Several people who were recruited as petitioners eventually became recruiters themselves.

Marriage fraud or conspiracy to commit marriage fraud carries a sentence of up to five years in prison. The other charges — including mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and tampering with a witness, informant or victim — all carry the possibility of 20 years in federal prison. A federal grand jury returned the indictment on April 30.