This press conference surveys charges against 11 individuals involved in a marriage fraud and bribery scheme. The scheme primarily targeted U.S. servicemen, especially from the Jacksonville Naval Air Station, to arrange sham marriages between them and Chinese nationals. The ultimate goal was to help the Chinese nationals obtain permanent residency and potential citizenship, and gain access to military facilities worldwide through fraudulent military identification cards. The investigation, which began in early 2024, involved multiple agencies including the FBI, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
