Six people in Massachusetts, United States, have been charged with allegedly arranging sham marriages between undocumented immigrants and US citizens to fraudulently obtain legal immigration status.
According to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the alleged scheme was led by 43-year-old Jennifer Gonzalez, who reportedly operated the business for more than a decade and made millions of dollars.
Prosecutors alleged that Gonzalez charged between $38,000 and $40,000 for each arrangement, organizing about 18 to 20 fraudulent marriages annually.
The other defendants are Erica Daniels, 29; Chreise Alejandro, 39; Amara Pugh, 31; Jessica Tavares, 31; and Jaylin Hill, 26. Five are from Fall River, while Hill is from Attleboro.
Court documents allege that Gonzalez paid four US citizens, Daniels, Alejandro, Tavares, and Hill, to marry immigrants, while Pugh worked as the operation’s secretary.
Gonzalez allegedly coached clients on making the marriages appear genuine by opening joint bank accounts, purchasing life insurance, and taking photographs together. Investigators also reportedly recorded her accepting a $3,000 deposit and arranging a disguised loan agreement to conceal the alleged fraud.
The case also involves alleged welfare fraud. Prosecutors said some defendants falsely declared they had never been married when applying for Massachusetts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Gonzalez allegedly received more than $120,000 in benefits while running the operation and investing proceeds in businesses and property in the Dominican Republic.
Five defendants, Gonzalez, Daniels, Alejandro, Pugh, and Tavares, were arrested on Wednesday, while Hill is serving a state prison sentence for a firearms offence.
The six face charges including conspiracy to harbor undocumented immigrants and marriage fraud. The immigration-harbouring charges carry maximum penalties of 10 years in prison, while marriage fraud carries up to five years.
The US Attorney’s Office said the allegations remain unproven and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The report was published by the US Department of Justice on October 21, 2026. Prosecutors allege the operation generated more than $6 million over a decade, according to additional reporting by CBS Boston and GBH News.
