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.

100 day sprint to the midterms kicks off as Republicans and Democrats clash for control across the country

WATCH: Democrats blast Trump Saudi nuclear deal as GOP touts regional alliance

California authorities search for 2 children allegedly abducted by father, fear for their safety

At least 1 shot, 1 detained after reported active shooter at Texas mall: police

Federal appeals court rejects Trump bid to enforce mail ballot order ahead of midterm elections

Second House Discovered Related to Family With 16 ‘Almost Feral’ Children – Building Described as ‘Just Urine, Feces’

Armed man in tactical vest emerges from exploding Queens home before being shot by NYPD officers; 2 found dead

India’s education minister resigns after student protests over medical exam leaks

EXCLUSIVE: Alleged $32M COVID-19 fraud fugitive captured in Jamaica and returned to US, FBI says

Court checks Pritzker as Trump administration scores another immigration win

NYC 5-alarm fire injures at least 17 firefighters, others as blaze damages multiple apartment buildings

Katy Perry ‘appalled’ to see her song used on White House TikTok account

Transgender dolls to be available for Minnesota schoolchildren as young as 4 under Walz-backed program: report

Biden judge blocking Ethiopian deportations despite SCOTUS ruling clashed with ICE before

Fewer Gay Professionals Feel Being Gay Helps Their Career

“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.