She married multiple men in Las Vegas, some at the same time, police say. Was it for love or gambling money?
A Las Vegas woman who married more than a dozen men — mostly while already married — in what authorities said was a scheme to pocket gambling money has agreed to plead guilty in a deal with prosecutors.
Jiaying Chen, 33, admitted to one count of bigamy and one count of obtaining money under false pretenses in a plea agreement filed Thursday in Clark County District Court. Court records show Chen initially faced six felony counts: bigamy, two counts of forgery and theft.
From March 2019 to May 2026, Chen filed 15 marriage applications with the Clark County Marriage License Bureau, resulting in eight marriage licenses being issued, according to county records. Chen told authorities that she did not always marry the men listed on marriage applications because “not everyone pays.” Las Vegas Review Magazinewas the first to report the plea deal.
Authorities allege Chen also filed marriage applications using the alias “Vicky Liang.” County records show that Vicky Liang filed eight more marriage applications between April 2025 and June, resulting in the receipt of seven marriage certificates.
Citing arrest records, The Review Journal reported that Chen told police he could “make up to $20,000 from one marriage.” He added that he only got married in Las Vegas because it was easy for him to get married there, according to the outlet.
According to the police, Chen allegedly met the men she would later marry through social media. It is not clear why the men agreed to marry.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department did not immediately make arrest records available to The Times. Chen’s attorney did not respond to an email seeking comment Monday.
Prosecutors allege in the criminal complaint that Chen stole approximately $138,000 from at least three of the men. He had requested money from the men to care for sick relatives, but authorities told the Review Journal the money was actually used for gambling at Vegas casinos.
Authorities discovered that Chen lost $300,000 at the Wynn casino last year, the Review Journal reported.
Under the plea agreement, Chen could face a maximum sentence of 24 years in prison at his sentencing hearing next month.
