The Jacksonville Naval Base in Florida recently exposed a scandal involving Chinese citizens and US Navy sailors engaging in “sham marriages.” A former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) expert pointed out that Beijing’s “specific intelligence operation” has posed a threat to US national security.
According to a report from Fox News on Monday, sailors Jacinth Bailey and Morgan Chambers stationed at Jacksonville Naval Base have been accused of conspiring marriage fraud. They allegedly received tens of thousands of dollars from Chinese citizens to assist in obtaining US green cards through fake marriages.
Bailey, who served in the navy on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower as an aviation boatswain’s mate, reportedly attended parties and took photos after the fake wedding to create the illusion of a legitimate marriage for the immigrant application.
The conspiracy dates back to September 2024 and involves multiple unnamed “conspirators.” Bailey received a total of $45,000, including a $10,000 advance, for the fake marriage to assist the “husband” in obtaining a green card and ultimately divorcing.
Chambers also received $35,000 for a similar “sham marriage” arrangement. If convicted, both could face up to five years in prison. Currently, both have not pleaded guilty.
Prosecutors emphasized that these “sham marriage” schemes are deliberately targeting military personnel, prioritizing soldiers to “participate in such conspiracies and marry Chinese citizens.”
Former CIA expert J. Michael Waller commented that several similar incidents demonstrate a “specific” intelligence operation aimed at enabling Chinese citizens to gain access to the Jacksonville Naval Air Station, posing a national security threat targeting major US naval facilities.
In recent years, various similar cases have been revealed. In August 2024, former Navy recruiter Brinio Urena admitted to conspiracy marriage fraud by marrying Chinese women for money.
In July 2024, Navy Reserve Raymond Zumba pleaded guilty to attempting to bribe officials at Jacksonville Naval Air Station to create fake military identification cards for individuals linked to the Chinese Communist Party.
Waller stressed in an interview with Fox News Digital that the core purpose of these sham marriages is to grant naval base access passes to Chinese spouses.
Waller stated, “This is evidently an intelligence recruitment and intelligence collection operation targeting the Jacksonville Naval Air Station.” He pointed out the deliberate choice of military personnel over ordinary civilians: “There is no shortage of Americans willing to marry for a day for $50,000 and quickly divorce for money. This is a specific operation targeting US Navy facilities.”
He revealed, “They’ve recruited Navy recruiters and people serving on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers—these destroyers are responsible for anti-submarine warfare and air defense missions, while the massive naval facilities contain a significant amount of sensitive projects crucial to national defense.”
Waller further pointed out that even though these Chinese citizens in “sham marriages” have not directly stolen US national security secrets, such incidents expose significant issues in the navy’s personnel screening, training, and discipline.
He said, “This is a major problem for the navy. In recent years, the navy’s recruitment, training, and discipline have deteriorated and are only now beginning to recover.”
Security experts believe that such “sham marriage” plans highlight the risk of foreign forces infiltrating military facilities through immigration channels. Jacksonville Naval Air Station, as a home to vital US naval assets, houses multiple sensitive defense projects, and if base access privileges are abused, it could lead to severe consequences.
The case is still under investigation, and further details may reveal additional potential threats.