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.

Self-Avowed ‘Socialist Socialite’ Roasted After Mocking Budget Dress Worn by Hegseth’s Wife

Teacher’s ‘Disgusting’ Comment About White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting Gets Him Placed on Leave

DHS taunts media for reporting about ‘Green Bay man’ illegal immigrant charged in vicious machete attack

Ghost in the gallery: George Washington looks on as King Charles addresses Congress

Dem and GOP lawmakers trade blame over rhetoric after WHCD shooting: ‘It is disgusting’

Dem plot to limit Trump war powers on Cuba fails as GOP falls in line with military action abroad

Five key themes of King Charles III’s address to Congress

Starmer escapes inquiry on Mandelson vetting by a Parliament vote

FBI brings alleged China-linked hacker to US in rare extradition as Patel defends Italy trip

Tim Walz Shamed After Trying to Take Credit for Federal Raids on Somali-Owned Minnesota Businesses

ABC Not Firing Jimmy Kimmel After Melania ‘Widow’ Comments Feels Like Network Flipping Off Millions

Influencer’s body returns home after safari getaway as missing ring and fiancé questions cloud case: report

Melania Trump, Queen Camilla team up at White House youth event spotlighting US-UK bond

Body camera video shows police officer allegedly kidnapped by armed robbery suspect in roadside showdown

WATCH: Ilhan Omar roasted for brutal resurfaced video about ‘World War Eleven’

“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.