11 Arrested in Florida for Fake Marriage Network to Obtain Green Cards

Fake marriage network

Bribery exposed the operation

11 arrested in Florida

In the city of Jacksonville, Florida, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) arrested 11 people for an alleged immigration fraud scheme.

The complaint alleges that the defendants organized sham marriages to obtain lawful permanent residency, commonly known as a green card.

When one of those involved attempted to bribe an official, authorities arrested him and dismantled the operation.

A recent formal investigation in Florida led to the arrests tied to the Florida fake marriage green card scheme.

Immigration Fraud in Florida Involved Bribery and Military Personnel

Florida Fake Marriage Green Card Scheme Leads to 11 Arrests. Photo created by ChatGPT

In a statement, USCIS reported that the accused participated in a conspiracy to recruit U.S. citizens — preferably members of the armed forces.

The goal was for them to enter into sham marriages with Chinese migrants seeking to evade immigration laws.

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The marriages took place across the United States, including Jacksonville, New York, Connecticut, and Nevada.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) detailed the charges in an official report.

How the Green Card Scheme Collapsed After a Failed Bribe

FAKE MARRIAGE RING BUSTED IN FLORIDA

ICE arrested 11 people accused of staging fraudulent weddings between U.S. citizens and Chinese migrants to obtain green cards, using fake photos and fabricated evidence… pic.twitter.com/tnNsqVjRqS

— Nuestro Diario (@NuestroDiario) February 15, 2026

The indictment includes conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Those charged include Anny Chen (54, New York); Sha Xie (38, China); Linlin Wang (38, China); Jiawei Chen (29, China); Yafeng Deng (23, New York); Hailing Feng (27, New York); Kiah Holly (29, Maryland); Xionghu Fang (41, China); Tao Fan (26, China); Jaden Bullion (24, Florida); and Kin Man Cheok (32, China).

Anny Chen and Linlin Wang also face additional marriage fraud charges.

Furthermore, Anny Chen, Hailing Feng, and Kin Man Cheok were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, a charge that also carries a maximum sentence of five years.

How the Immigration Fraud Scheme Operated

The court filing describes how the network functioned. Conspirators took photographs of the couples.

They used those images to create documentation to present to immigration authorities.

The objective was to make the marriages appear legitimate. According to the indictment, the couples did not maintain genuine romantic relationships.

Instead, there was a prearranged payment plan. The U.S. citizen spouse received an upfront cash payment.

A second payment was made once lawful permanent residency was granted. A final payment followed after divorce proceedings.

Through this structure, those involved allegedly sought to bypass immigration controls as part of the Florida fake marriage green card scheme.

The Bribery Attempt That Exposed the Network

Three of the defendants also face charges for conspiracy to bribe a public official.

The attempted corruption ultimately led to the arrests.

In January 2025, a confidential source alerted authorities about Navy reservist Raymond Zumba trying to commit immigration fraud.

Zumba pleaded guilty to bribing a public official.

According to the DOJ, he offered to bribe the source and the source’s spouse.

The source’s husband worked at Naval Air Station Jacksonville.

He was assigned to the office responsible for issuing Department of Defense identification cards.

Zumba asked whether he would be willing to issue legitimate but unauthorized ID cards in exchange for money.

On February 13, 2025, Zumba traveled from New York to Jacksonville.

He arrived accompanied by Anny Chen, Feng, and Cheok. They were taken to the Jacksonville Air National Guard Base.

The source’s spouse allowed access to the office outside of working hours, where the process to issue the cards began.

The following day, Zumba met with the source and received two ID cards in exchange for $3,500.

He was immediately arrested at the scene of the transaction, and the cards were recovered.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The case remains ongoing as authorities continue pursuing accountability in the Florida fake marriage green card scheme.