Vietnamese massive marriage fraud ring unraveled by ICE [merged threads]

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

On ‎5‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 12:31 PM, USS_Voyager said:

The $70,000 is just cash for you. They will pay for your trips (probably 2-3 trips) to the touristy destinations in Asia to take pictures and create the impression of "time together". Then, there is a big wedding party, honey moon, all expenses paid for. The whole package gotta cost $100,000-$120,000 between all that and legal fees, government fees.... One expensive green card!

When I was a fresh new Marine straight out of boot camp and on to my Comm School in California in 02-03. I met a guy who was involved in one of these scams with the local Vietnamese out in town. He was given $12k and a all expense paid trip to Vietnam to meet and be with this girl, not to mention he got free hair cuts every week at the Vietnamese barbershop in town. He had to write letters to her and vice versa to make it seem like a actual relationship.... I don't know if he followed through on the deal because I shipped out to a new base but it is a funny tale. 

Edited May 17, 2019 by Cyberfx1024

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

On ‎5‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 8:09 PM, cyclone27 said:

^reason Viet couples of common heritage normally have to do family trees. (Consulate well aware of such scams)

Dang.... I never knew that.... Thank you for that tidbit of information

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

On ‎5‎/‎16‎/‎2019 at 4:37 AM, cyclone27 said:

Wedding costs vary in Vietnam but in fairness there is a lot to it compared to western weddings. 

 

I gave my wife a budget and she was really good about organizing things and it was a top notch affair.

 

i think after all the red envelopes were counted the reception was paid for as well  as other related expenses. I prob was out of pocket maybe 2k.

I got my daughter baptized in the Philippines and after everything it was about that much. 

[USS_Voyager 1,971]

45 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

When I was a fresh new Marine straight out of boot camp and on to my Comm School in California in 02-03. I met a guy who was involved in one of these scams with the local Vietnamese out in town. He was given $12k and a all expense paid trip to Vietnam to meet and be with this girl, not to mention he got free hair cuts every week at the Vietnamese barbershop in town. He had to write letters to her and vice versa to make it seem like a actual relationship.... I don't know if he followed through on the deal because I shipped out to a new base but it is a funny tale. 

Actually, the military guys and sometimes gals are prime targets for these "recruiters" because they're young, easier to convince. Their military background gives the "client" the perception (rightly or wrongly) that their applications will get less scrutiny and the Consulate will more likely approve the visa if this is for a military wife/husband/fiancee. 

[Boiler 43,622]

2 minutes ago, USS_Voyager said:

Actually, the military guys and sometimes gals are prime targets for these "recruiters" because they're young, easier to convince. Their military background gives the "client" the perception (rightly or wrongly) that their applications will get less scrutiny and the Consulate will more likely approve the visa if this is for a military wife/husband/fiancee. 

I think that is a reasonable supposition.

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

37 minutes ago, USS_Voyager said:

Actually, the military guys and sometimes gals are prime targets for these "recruiters" because they're young, easier to convince. Their military background gives the "client" the perception (rightly or wrongly) that their applications will get less scrutiny and the Consulate will more likely approve the visa if this is for a military wife/husband/fiancee. 

As a former Marine I could not agree with you more. When you have a young and dare I say dumb 18, 19, and 20 year old kids and promise them money/travel/and women then they can become extremely gullible to say the least. I know that for a fact. 

 

I also left out that this Vietnamese "friend" of his who was setting him up would also let us take out his fully customized Acura on the weekends to roam the freeways of SoCal. So my then friend got hooked in pretty good. 

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

I was once offered about 10 large to help a pretty Korean gal become a USC. Great way to make some quick cash.  But dealing meth brings in more monthly.

[Boiler 43,622]

3 minutes ago, ALFKAD said:

I was once offered about 10 large to help a pretty Korean gal become a USC. Great way to make some quick cash.  But dealing meth brings in more monthly.