JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – At least two Jacksonville service members have been charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud after federal officials said they were paid to marry Chinese nationals who wanted legal status.
The accusations filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division, state that at least six “conspirators” participated in a marriage fraud scheme.
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According to the complaint, the conspirators preferred to recruit U.S. citizens who were members of the U.S. military.
One of the complaints involves a Jacksonville Navy sailor, who, investigators said, married a Chinese national in 2024 in Las Vegas.
According to the complaint, in September 2024, a person identified as “Conspirator-1″ recruited the Navy sailor to enter a sham marriage.
Using a group chat on an encrypted messaging application, “Conspirator-1″ introduced the sailor to a person identified as “Conspirator-2.”
The complaint says “Conspirator-2″ told the sailor that as part of the marriage fraud scheme, she would be paid $10,000 up front, $20,000 when a “green card” was obtained for her future “husband,” and $5,000 when the divorce was settled.
In that same group chat, “Conspirator-2″ sent the sailor a photo of a Chinese national, identified as “Conspirator-3,” who would be her future husband.
About a month later, the sailor and “Conspirator-1″ traveled from Jacksonville to Las Vegas so that she could meet and marry “Conspirator-3,” according to the complaint.
After they got married, a person identified as “Conspirator-4″ paid the sailor $10,000 in cash for going through with the marriage.
“Conspirators would photograph the couples who were a party to these sham marriages, including during the marriage ceremonies, in an effort to create evidence that could be presented to immigration authorities to suggest that the marriages were legitimate, and the couples were in loving, committed relationships,” the complaint says.
The second complaint also involved a Jacksonville U.S. Navy sailor, who officials said was contacted by “Conspirator-1″ and “Conspirator-2″ to enter a sham marriage.
In November 2024, “Conspirator-2″ introduced the sailor to “Conspirator-3.” In his communications with the sailor, “Conspirator-3″ said she would be paid approximately $45,000 for the entire process of marrying a Chinese national.
Then, in January 2025, the sailor flew to New York, where she met with “Conspirator-3″ and “Conspirator-4″ to discuss the impending fraudulent marriage with “Conspirator-5,” a Chinese national.
A day later, the sailor met “Conspirator-5″ for the first time and went to Connecticut to get married, officials said.
According to the complaint, “Conspirator-4″ introduced the sailor to “Conspirator-6″ and asked her to apply and obtain a military identification card for “Conspirator-5″ that would enable him to access military facilities.
Both U.S. Navy sailors are now facing federal charges for conspiracy to commit marriage fraud.