Story perspectives

US Arrests 11 in Queens, Brooklyn Marriage Fraud Scheme

8/14/2026

Summary

US Authorities Bust Marriage Fraud

US authorities arrested 11 people in New York on August 12, 2026, for marriage-immigration fraud.
The indictment says the network arranged 1,000 sham marriages from 2016 to July 2026.
Following search warrants in Flushing, Queens and Sunset Park, Brooklyn, by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, defendants face up to five years for marriage fraud and up to ten years for unlawful residence.

Summary

Attorney General Condemns

Attorney General Todd Blanche called the scheme a “multibillion-dollar industry” tied to Trump-era immigration limits.
Prosecutors said conspirators forged bank and utility accounts, staged photos, and charged foreign nationals up to $100,000 per green card and U.S. citizens up to $30,000 for the sham.
USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow warned that fraudsters who lie for legal status threaten security, arguing the scheme undermines America’s ability to determine who may enter.

1 of 2

US Authorities Bust Marriage Fraud

US authorities arrested 11 people in New York on August 12, 2026, for marriage-immigration fraud.
The indictment says the network arranged 1,000 sham marriages from 2016 to July 2026.
Following search warrants in Flushing, Queens and Sunset Park, Brooklyn, by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, defendants face up to five years for marriage fraud and up to ten years for unlawful residence.

1 / 2