A Chinese woman accused of orchestrating a sprawling marriage fraud scheme across Nevada is expected to plead guilty to bigamy and obtaining money under false pretenses after authorities say she scammed more than a dozen men into marrying her and handing over hundreds of thousands of dollars, many believing they were helping pay for sick relatives overseas.
Background
Jiaying Chen, 33, allegedly ran the scheme from Las Vegas between 2019 and 2024, according to an arrest report obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Prosecutors say she applied for 14 marriage licenses at the Clark County Marriage License Bureau during that period, with seven marriage certificates ultimately issued. At the time of her arrest in June, Chen was married to six different men simultaneously.
Detectives with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested Chen on June 4 after intercepting what they believed was another fraudulent marriage in progress. Authorities received a tip that Chen was meeting a man at a Las Vegas restaurant to discuss getting married.
When police searched Chen following her arrest, they discovered a U.S. passport and Nevada driver's license bearing her photograph but displaying the name "Vicky Liang." A search for that alias yielded no results with the Department of Motor Vehicles, but multiple records appeared at the Clark County Marriage License Bureau. Police say Chen used the fake identification documents for eight marriage applications, most filed between April and June of this year.
The Investigation
According to court documents and police statements, Chen allegedly targeted men through social media and dating apps before quickly proposing marriage. Once relationships were established, she would request thousands of dollars, claiming the funds were needed for sick relatives in China. After receiving payments, authorities say Chen would either annul the marriages or simply cut off contact with her victims.
The financial toll on her victims has been substantial. One man gave Chen $40,000, another paid $23,000, and a third handed over $20,000. One victim told investigators that he and his family had saved $30,000 specifically because Chen said she wanted to purchase a house. Police say none of the victims recovered their money.
One victim told police that two weeks after Chen received a five-figure sum from him, she informed him she "didn't want to be married anymore," according to the arrest report. While one man annulled his marriage upon discovering Chen's other husbands, at least two recent victims indicated they had no intention of leaving her. One man whose marriage license was issued April 23 told police he remained married to Chen, while another who gave her $30,000 on May 21 said he planned to stay in the marriage.
When questioned by police in 2024 after the Clark County Marriage License Bureau flagged her applications, Chen admitted she would file for marriage licenses but claimed some men failed to pay her. Those applications did not result in marriage certificates. She also told investigators she specifically targeted Las Vegas because "it is so easy to get married" there.
Police say their investigation revealed Chen had lost more than $300,000 gambling at the Wynn casino, leading authorities to conclude that "the money she has obtained goes to gambling and not relatives overseas."
Key Takeaways
- Jiaying Chen, 33, is expected to plead guilty to bigamy and obtaining money under false pretenses exceeding $100,000 in Las Vegas federal court
- She allegedly married six men simultaneously after scamming more than a dozen through social media and dating apps between 2019 and 2024
- Victims collectively lost tens of thousands of dollars each, with some paying $40,000, $23,000, or $30,000 believing funds would help Chen's sick relatives in China
- Police discovered Chen used fake identification documents under the alias "Vicky Liang" for eight marriage applications
- Authorities say she gambled away more than $300,000 at the Wynn casino, funded by her victims' money
- The Clark County Marriage License Bureau flagged her applications to police before her June 4 arrest
What's Next
Chen is currently in custody at the Clark County Correctional Center on $100,000 bond. She is scheduled to enter her guilty plea at an upcoming Las Vegas court appearance that will result in convictions for both bigamy and obtaining money under false pretenses exceeding $100,000. The exact sentencing date has not yet been set.