US authorities have charged six people in Massachusetts over an alleged marriage fraud scheme in which undocumented immigrants were reportedly charged up to $40,000 to enter sham marriages with American citizens to obtain immigration benefits.

The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced the charges in a statement, alleging that the operation was led by 43-year-old Jennifer Gonzalez, who had run the business for more than a decade and made millions of dollars.

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“The organisation’s leader has allegedly been orchestrating sham marriages for illegal aliens to enable them to fraudulently obtain immigration status for over 10 years and has made millions of dollars doing so,” the statement said.

The other defendants are Erica Daniels, 29; Chreise Alejandro, 39; Amara Pugh, 31; Jessica Tavares, 31; and Jaylin Hill, 26.

Five of the defendants are from Fall River, while Hill is from Attleboro.

According to court documents, Gonzalez allegedly arranged the marriages and paid Daniels, Alejandro, Tavares and Hill, who are US citizens, to marry immigrants.

Pugh allegedly worked as the operation’s secretary.

Prosecutors said the business allegedly arranged between 18 and 20 sham marriages annually, charging clients between $38,000 and $40,000 for each arrangement.

The alleged operation also reportedly coached clients on how to make the marriages appear genuine.

The instructions included opening joint bank accounts, purchasing life insurance policies and taking photographs together as married couples.

Investigators further alleged that Gonzalez accepted a $3,000 cash deposit and directed the preparation of a loan agreement designed to disguise the fraudulent nature of the arrangement.

According to prosecutors, Gonzalez told a client that the contract deliberately avoided mentioning the spouse because doing so would be incriminating.

Clients allegedly also paid an additional $500 monthly to their assigned spouses or people associated with them to maintain the arrangements.

Recorded conversations cited in court documents allegedly captured Gonzalez describing Massachusetts as a favourable location for immigrants because of the state’s sanctuary policies.

Authorities also accused Gonzalez of investing proceeds from the alleged operation in businesses and real estate in the Dominican Republic.

The case includes allegations of welfare fraud.

Prosecutors said several defendants falsely declared that they had never been married when applying for benefits under Massachusetts’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme, despite filing federal immigration petitions for their purported spouses.

Gonzalez allegedly received more than $120,000 in benefits while running the operation and purchasing property in the Dominican Republic.

Five defendants, Gonzalez, Daniels, Alejandro, Pugh and Tavares, were arrested on Wednesday, according to the statement.

Hill was already serving a state prison sentence for a firearms offence.

The six face charges including conspiracy to harbour undocumented immigrants, harbouring undocumented immigrants, conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and marriage fraud.

According to prosecutors, the harbouring charges carry maximum prison sentences of up to 10 years, while marriage fraud charges carry maximum sentences of up to five years.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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The authorities stressed that the charges are allegations and that all six defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.