Key facts
- Six people charged in Massachusetts for allegedly arranging sham marriages.
- Scheme ran for over a decade, generating over $6 million in profits.
- Clients paid $38,000 to $40,000 for sham marriages to US citizens.
- Alleged mastermind Jennifer Gonzalez charged with harboring immigrants and marriage fraud.
Federal prosecutors on Wednesday charged six people in Massachusetts with participating in a long-running scheme to arrange hundreds of sham marriages to help immigrants unlawfully obtain green cards and potential US citizenship. US Attorney Leah Foley stated that the alleged mastermind, Jennifer Gonzalez, organized these marriages for over a decade, charging clients between $38,000 and $40,000 per marriage. The operation reportedly generated over $6 million in profits. Gonzalez, a US-born citizen, is charged with harboring immigrants and marriage fraud. The Department of Justice has been pursuing similar cases as part of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.