A Santa Fe Springs man was sentenced Monday to two years in federal prison for his part in a marriage fraud scheme involving at least 87 mostly Chinese nationals, according to a U.S. Department of Justice spokesman.

Jason Shiao, also known as “Zheng Yi Xiao,” 67, was charged in 2015 for helping foreign nationals arrange fraudulent marriages with U.S. citizens so they could become permanent residents.

Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in a statement said “Shiao falsely claimed to be an attorney, paid United States citizens thousands of dollars to participate in the scheme, introduced immigrants seeking benefits to American citizens to facilitate the sham marriages, instructed his clients to pose for wedding photographs, and told clients to lie to officials with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).”

Shia pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy to commit visa and marriage fraud.

The Chinese nationals, according to court documents, paid up to $50,000 to enter into sham marriages in order to get lawful permanent resident cards, allowing them to legally reside in the U.S.

Shiao’s daughter, Lynn Leung, 45, of Pasadena, was sentenced last week to six months in prison after she pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge, Mrozek said.

A third conspirator, Shannon Mendoza, 50, of Pacoima, is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for drug trafficking charges, according to the statement.

As part of the scheme, Mendoza allegedly recruited U.S. citizens willing to enter into sham marriages in exchange for payments of up to $15,000, Mrozek said.

According to court documents, the defendants “went to considerable lengths to make the fake marriages appear real.”

Shiao’s plea agreement said he and his daughter prepared documents filed with USCIS to make the marriages appear legitimate. They also filed immigration petitions and created fraudulent paper trails for the couples with phony apartment leases, posed wedding photos, joint bank statements and other documentation.

The investigation began in September 2012 based on information from an anonymous caller who contacted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) within USCIS, Mrozek said.

An undercover investigation was conducted by the Los Angeles Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, the U.S. State Departmnent, and USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security unit.