Federal prosecutors charged six people on October 21, 2026 with running a sham marriage business that they say arranged marriages between U.S. citizens and people without legal immigration status, so the customers could apply for green cards. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said the alleged ring operated for more than a decade and generated more than $6 million. The alleged leader, Jennifer Gonzalez, 43, of Fall River, is accused of charging $38,000 to $40,000 per marriage and arranging 18 to 20 a year.
The charges are allegations. All six defendants are presumed innocent. Here is what prosecutors say, the federal laws involved, and what the charges carry.
Who is charged
The U.S. Attorney’s announcement, as published by Fall River Reporter, lists six defendants, each charged with conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, harboring illegal aliens, conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and marriage fraud:
- Jennifer Gonzalez, 43, of Fall River
- Erica Daniels, 29, of Fall River
- a defendant surnamed Alejandro, 39, of Fall River (outlets spell the first name differently)
- Amara Pugh, 31, of Fall River
- Jessica Tavares, 31, of Attleboro
- Jaylin Hill, 26, of Fall River
Five were arrested the morning of October 21. Hill is serving a state prison sentence for a firearms offense. All six were scheduled for initial appearances in federal court in Boston that afternoon.
What prosecutors allege
According to the announcement and court documents it describes:
- The business. Customers without legal status paid Gonzalez to arrange marriages to U.S. citizens. She paid Daniels, Alejandro, Tavares and Hill, all U.S. citizens, to enter one or more of those marriages, so the customers could file fraudulent documents with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Pugh allegedly worked as the business’s “secretary.”
- Making it look real. Gonzalez allegedly coached customers to set up life insurance policies and joint bank accounts and take selfie-style pictures as couples, and told them it would take three to four months to build enough documentation to apply. Defendants allegedly photographed the “weddings” and social outings for use in the applications. Customers commonly paid $500 a month to their assigned “spouse” or someone close to the spouse.
- The recordings. Prosecutors say a cooperating witness recorded Gonzalez on video and audio directing the printing and signing of a disguised “loan” contract and accepting a $3,000 cash down payment. She allegedly said the contract left out the spouse because mentioning one would be “incriminating.”
- The money. Gonzalez allegedly said she invested the proceeds in businesses and real estate in the Dominican Republic. NBC10 Boston quoted Foley as saying Gonzalez suspended the business in 2025 because immigration enforcement “was a little harsh.”
- SNAP benefits. Prosecutors say several defendants falsely claimed on Massachusetts SNAP applications that they had never been married, while filing immigration petitions for their spouses. Foley said Gonzalez received about $124,500 in SNAP benefits between 2019 and 2026, NBC10 reported. No SNAP fraud charge is listed among the charges announced.
Foley said the investigation began when someone tipped off federal authorities, NBC10 reported, and the announcement calls it ongoing. Boston 25 News reported that prosecutors are continuing to investigate hundreds of reported sham marriages. Foley also described criminal histories for Gonzalez and others; those are prior records, not part of these charges.
The federal laws involved
- Marriage fraud, 8 U.S.C. § 1325(c). “Any individual who knowingly enters into a marriage for the purpose of evading any provision of the immigration laws shall be imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or fined not more than $250,000, or both.” It applies to the citizen spouse as well as the immigrant spouse.
- Harboring, 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii). It is a crime, “knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law,” to conceal, harbor or shield that person “from detection.” Conspiracy to do so is covered by § 1324(a)(1)(A)(v)(I).
- Why harboring carries 10 years. Harboring normally carries up to 5 years, but up to 10 when “done for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain,” and conspiracy under (v)(I) carries up to 10. The announcement lists up to 10 years for the harboring counts and up to 5 for the marriage fraud counts, each with three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
- Forfeiture. Under § 1324(b), “the gross proceeds” of a harboring violation and “any property traceable to” them are subject to seizure and forfeiture.
A separate provision, § 1325(d), punishes anyone who “knowingly establishes a commercial enterprise for the purpose of evading any provision of the immigration laws” by up to 5 years. It is not among the charges listed in the announcement.
Maximum sentences are ceilings. A federal judge sets any sentence under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the statutes.
What happens to the marriages
The charges are criminal. Prosecutors have not said how many customers have been identified or what will happen to the green cards or petitions obtained through the alleged marriages. Immigration law has its own consequence that does not depend on a conviction. Under 8 U.S.C. § 1154(c), no immigrant petition “shall be approved” for a person who sought status “by reason of a marriage determined by the Attorney General to have been entered into for the purpose of evading the immigration laws.” That bar applies to future petitions of any kind, not just marriage-based ones. Any such determination would come through immigration proceedings, separate from this criminal case.
Frequently asked questions
What is the penalty for marriage fraud in the United States?
Under 8 U.S.C. § 1325(c), knowingly entering into a marriage to evade the immigration laws carries up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Conspiracy to commit marriage fraud carries the same maximum, according to the U.S. Attorney’s announcement.
Can the U.S. citizen spouse be charged with marriage fraud?
Yes. The statute applies to “any individual” who knowingly enters into a marriage to evade immigration law. Four of the six people charged in the Fall River case are U.S. citizens accused of being paid to marry customers.
Who is Jennifer Gonzalez?
Prosecutors say Jennifer Gonzalez, 43, of Fall River, a U.S. citizen, ran a business arranging sham marriages for more than 10 years, charging $38,000 to $40,000 each. She is charged with harboring, marriage fraud and conspiracy and is presumed innocent.
Why does harboring carry up to 10 years here?
Under 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(B)(i), harboring done for commercial advantage or private financial gain, and conspiracy to harbor, carry up to 10 years, double the ordinary 5-year maximum.
Sources: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announcement, Oct. 21, 2026, as published in full by Fall River Reporter; NBC10 Boston, WCVB and Boston 25 News, Oct. 21, 2026. 8 U.S.C. §§ 1324 and 1325 read in full. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. General information, not legal advice.