Fake Love for a Price

It’s not exactly a match made in heaven: eleven people have been charged in Florida for their role in a marriage fraud scheme that recruited U.S. military service members to marry Chinese citizens. The scheme, run by a Chinese transnational gang, aimed to get Chinese citizens immigration benefits and access to U.S. military bases.

The Scam

Here’s how it worked: the gang would pay U.S. citizens to marry Chinese nationals, with the promise of more cash once the Chinese citizens got their immigration status and again after a divorce. To make the marriages look legit, the couples would take photos together – because nothing says ‘love’ like a staged photo shoot.

Caught in the Act

Five people, including former Navy members Raymond Zumba, Brinio Urena, Morgan Chambers, and Jacinth Bailey, have pleaded guilty to charges related to the scheme. Zumba, a Navy Reserve veteran, even tried to bribe a public official to get unauthorized ID cards for his ‘wife’ and her friends. He offered the official’s spouse a deal: issue the cards, and he’d get a nice little payment. The official reported the plan, and Zumba was arrested.
It’s a ridiculous scheme, and it’s surprising it took this long to get caught. But hey, when you’re trying to scam your way into the U.S., don’t expect to get away with it.