Massachusetts Man Charged for His Role in Marriage and Immigration Document Fraud

CLEVELAND - A 31-year-old man has been charged for his role in a conspiracy where he allegedly agreed to be paid to enter into a sham marriage to allow a co-conspirator to illegally obtain a green card.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jingming Chen, 31, of Quincy, Massachusetts, with Conspiracy to Commit Marriage Fraud and Immigration Document Fraud.

According to allegations in the indictment, Chen, a U.S. citizen, was paid by a Chinese national co-conspirator residing in Aurora, Ohio, to enter into a sham marriage and commit immigration document fraud by fabricating evidence to support the false claim that their marriage was legitimate.

They submitted false statements to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to obtain lawful permanent resident status-commonly known as a Green Card-and other immigration benefits for the co-conspirator. To carry out the conspiracy, Chen allegedly agreed to receive partial payment at each step of the green card process as they were completed. Chen and the co-conspirator discussed creating a false backstory of their online romance and long-distance relationship, including how they met and who introduced them. They also went so far as to discuss obtaining a prenuptial agreement and opening various joint accounts for banking, cellphone service, insurance, and a discount store membership card.

Eventually, the two filed an intent to get married in Quincy, Massachusetts, and Chen directed the co-conspirator to buy a cheap, fake diamond ring to use for the wedding ceremony. After they married, Chen directed a preparer to submit his USCIS Form I-130, "Petition for Alien Relative," to document his relationship with a foreign national which would pave the way for the co-conspirator to obtain a green card.

The Homeland Security Investigations Cleveland office and the USCIS-Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate in Boston conducted the investigation preceding the indictment.

Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. McDonough is leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.

If convicted, the defendant faces up to five years in prison. The court will determine the sentence after reviewing the factors unique to this case, including the defendant's prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offenses, and the characteristics of the violations.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division investigates and prosecutes those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

An indictment is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.