ALBUQUERQUE — A high-stakes marriage fraud scheme has landed six accused in the crosshairs of federal law enforcement, with two U.S. citizens and four Chinese nationals facing charges for conspiring to obtain immigration status through sham marriages.
Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney and Special Agent Waldemar Rodriguez of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced the indictment against Yi Lee, Santiago Aveles, Chia-Jung Chang, Dan Zheng, Lian Xiang Deng, and Xiao-Yin Le for their alleged roles in the sordid plot.
The defendants, aged 31 to 50, are accused of engaging in a conspiracy from June 2016 through March 2017. Yi Lee, a naturalized U.S. citizen living in Santa Fe, N.M., is said to have orchestrated the scheme by arranging fraudulent marriages between foreign nationals and U.S. citizens for substantial financial gain.
Chia-Jung Chang, Dan Zheng, Lian Xiang Deng, and Xiao-Yin Le, all Chinese nationals, were arrested last week and entered not guilty pleas during their arraignment in Las Cruces, N.M. Aveles and Zheng face up to five years in prison if convicted of marriage fraud charges.
However, Lee and Xiao-Yin Le remain at large, with law enforcement describing them as fugitives. The investigation was led by the Las Cruces office of HSI, and the prosecution is handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin C. Segovia.
Criminal defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, a principle that all accused in this case are entitled to under the law.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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