US charges 11 in $100K-per-person scheme arranging 1,000 sham marriages for Chinese nationals

The Department of Justice has charged nearly a dozen people with participating in a multimillion-dollar scheme

More than 1,000 marriages were allegedly arranged in decade-long immigration fraud scheme that generated tens of millions of dollars

A federal indictment unsealed in New York City names 11 defendants — all naturalized U.S. citizens from China and one green card holder — for their roles in the marriage and immigration fraud scheme.

The United States has stepped up its crackdown on people accused of using fake marriages to secure immigration status, raising questions for Kenyans who have legitimately married a U.S. citizen as part of their journey to permanent residency and, eventually, citizenship.