In Florida, authorities have pressed charges against eleven individuals linked to a marriage fraud operation that involved enlisting U.S. military personnel to wed Chinese nationals unlawfully.

This scheme was masterminded by a Chinese international crime syndicate. The group’s strategy was to recruit military service members to enter into sham marriages, enabling Chinese citizens to gain immigration privileges and secure access passes to U.S. military sites, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“This investigation highlights the indispensable role that HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) fulfills in safeguarding our nation from transnational criminal entities that attempt to manipulate our customs and immigration regulations, posing a threat to national security,” stated Michael Cochran, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Tampa. “Thanks to the commitment and proficiency of our agents and collaborators, we have effectively investigated, interrupted, and dismantled a sophisticated cross-border criminal network.”

Displaying the national flags of the U.S. and China, the Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai, China, captured on April 25, 2024. Federal prosecutors accuse a Chinese syndicate of recruiting American military personnel for fraudulent marriages to Chinese nationals. (Wang Gang/VCG via Getty Images)

The fraudulent marriages occurred nationwide, including locations such as Jacksonville, Florida; New York; Connecticut; and Nevada.

To lend credibility to these bogus unions, the suspects staged photographs of the couples, creating misleading evidence to present to immigration officials, suggesting they were in genuine, loving relationships.

In reality, the suspects had agreed to a payment plan whereby the U.S. citizen spouse would receive a cash payment up front for marrying the Chinese national, a second payment when legal immigration status was obtained, and a final payment after the divorce.

An aerial view of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower together in eastern Mediterranean on November 03, 2023.  (Photo by U.S.Navy Janae Chambers/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Five people were charged with marriage fraud conspiracy between March 2024 and February 2025:

• Anny Chen, 54, of New York. She is also charged with marriage fraud and bribery conspiracy.
• Kiah Holly, 29, of Maryland.
• Kin Man Cheok, 32, of China, who is also charged with bribery conspiracy between November 2024 and Feb. 14, 2025.
• Hailing Feng, 27, of New York, who is also charged with bribery conspiracy.
• Xionghu Fang, 41, of China.

Raymond Zumba, Brinio Urena, Morgan Chambers and Jacinth Bailey, former U.S. Navy service members, have all pleaded guilty to charges related to the same scheme. Their sentences are pending. 

Federal prosecutors also allege that Anny Chen, Hailing Feng and Kin Man Cheok conspired to bribe a public official. Zumba, who served in the Navy Reserve, allegedly offered to bribe an unidentified source and the source’s spouse, who worked at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in the personnel office that issues Department of War identification cards. 

Zumba allegedly asked whether the spouse would be willing to issue real, but unauthorized, ID cards for an under-the-table payment. The source reported the plan to authorities and continued to communicate with Zumba. 

A Muslim man from Malaysia secretly married an 11-year-old girl. (iStock)

After driving from New York, Zumba arrived in Jacksonville on Feb. 13, 2025, with Anny Chen, Feng and Cheok.

He brought them to the Naval Air Station Jacksonville, where the source’s spouse let them into the personnel office after business hours and initiated the process for Chen and Cheok to receive ID cards. The following day, Zumba met with the source, who gave him two cards in exchange for $3,500. 

Zumba was promptly arrested, and the cards were recovered, authorities said.