Federal prosecutors charged six people with masterminding a long-running plot to allegedly organize hundreds of bogus marriages in Massachusetts in order to aid immigrants illegally get green cards and even US citizenship.
By Catholics for Catholics
On Wednesday, federal prosecutors brought charges against six people for taking part in a long-running plot to allegedly fix hundreds of bogus marriages in Massachusetts in order to help immigrants illegally get green cards and possibly US citizenship.
During a press conference in Boston, US Attorney Leah Foley said the alleged mastermind of the intrigue, Jennifer Gonzalez, coordinated sham marriages for over a decade in Massachusetts, a Democratic-led state the defendant described as a “sanctuary” jurisdiction where “you get a lot of help as an immigrant.”
“What an affront the alleged conduct revealed here today must be to those who play by the rules,” U.S. Attorney Leah Foley told reporters, according to a story by Newsmax. “To see a for-profit business whose sole purpose is helping people cheat and skip the line by simply paying for it must be so offensive and disheartening to those who follow our country’s laws.”
Yes, wedding bands were traded and photos of a joyous bride and dressed to kill groom made it look like these were authentic marriages.
But Foley contended that the ceremonies were part of an elaborate, decade-long marriage fraud ring that netted a half-dozen people in Massachusetts millions of dollars. Prosecutors charged six people, including the alleged ringleader Jennifer Gonzalez, with conducting as many as 20 marriages annually to help immigrants obtain legal status.
U.S. Attorney Leah Foley for @DMANews1: "The alleged mastermind behind this marriage fraud scheme is Jennifer Gonzales, a United States citizen who was allegedly responsible for fraudulently arranging sham marriages in Massachusetts for over a decade. Gonzales allegedly charged between $38,000 and $40,000 per marriage and arranged 18 to 20 sham marriages per year for over 10 years. On the low end, this conspiracy netted her $6 MILLION during the course of the alleged scam."
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) October 21, 2026
Four of the participants were allegedly paid by Gonzalez to take part in the marriages — several of them going into various nuptials — and another worked as the operation’s “secretary.” Each shame marriage cost an immigrant from $38,000 to $40,000. All are facing charges including harboring illegal aliens, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and marriage fraud.
On Wednesday, five of the six were arrested. A sixth defendant is currently in state prison serving a sentence for a firearms crime.
“Ms. Gonzalez got rich off selling the American Dream all the while investing her money in another country,” Foley said, detailing how Gonzalez allegedly used profits from the marriage ring to buy businesses and real estate in the Dominican Republic. She is an American citizen.
An attorney for Gonzalez, 43, of Fall River, Massachusetts, had no comment. Gonzalez made an initial appearance Wednesday, and a hearing will be held Friday to determine if she will be held in detention while the case is pending.
