A three-count indictment was unsealed following a federal investigation, charging eleven individuals in connection with alleged marriage fraud and bribery conspiracies, according to U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. The U.S. Department of Justice states the defendants are accused of arranging sham marriages to bypass immigration laws and obtain permanent resident status for certain Chinese nationals, allegedly involving the recruitment of U.S. citizens to participate under false pretenses.
The indictment, covering offenses from March 2024 to February 2025, includes individuals from New York, Maryland, Florida, and China. Anny Chen, 54, of New York, and others are charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Additionally, Chen and Linlin Wang, 38, from China, face marriage fraud charges related to an incident on August 31, 2024.
As part of the alleged conspiracy, the defendants reportedly took photographs of the fraudulent couples to create the appearance of legitimacy for immigration authorities and arranged payment plans for the U.S. citizens involved, contingent on the Chinese nationals obtaining legal status and completing a subsequent divorce. The operation is said to have spanned multiple states, including Jacksonville, New York, Connecticut, and Nevada.
Additional indictments related to bribery stem from a separate but connected incident. Anny Chen, along with Hailing Feng and Kin Man Cheok, are accused of conspiring to bribe a public official in connection with the issuance of unauthorized identification cards at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. According to the indictment, a confidential source reported that Navy reservist Raymond Zumba offered to bribe the source and the source’s spouse, who worked at the facility. Zumba was apprehended in a sting operation after traveling to Jacksonville with the three co-conspirators to obtain the IDs.
The investigation was conducted through a coordinated effort by Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Four former service members have pleaded guilty to related charges, with sentencing hearings pending. An indictment is not a conviction, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Mesrobian and Michael J. Coolican.
