Jail for Woman Who Funded $300K Vegas Gambling Habit By Marrying Multiple Men

A Clark County judge on Tuesday (Oct. 6) sentenced Jiaying Chen to nearly a year in jail after police said she stole hundreds of thousands from numerous men she fraudulently married to fuel a gambling habit.

According to investigators, the serial bigamist lost more than $300,000 at Wynn Las Vegas in the last year, which came directly from men she married and then told she needed large sums of money to help a sick relative in China.

Her Liang Eyes

Chen, 34, pleaded guilty in July to bigamy and obtaining money under false pretenses of more than $100,000, both felonies. Police said she used the alias “Vicky Liang,” supported by a forged Nevada driver’s license and a fake U.S. passport, to repeatedly remarry without detection.

Investigators said Chen met men on social media, then quickly proposed marriage. According to arrest reports, she submitted 14 marriage applications to the Clark County Marriage License Bureau between March 2019 and May 2024, receiving seven marriage certificates.

After a 2024 arrest, she disappeared. Prosecutors said she married five men in one stretch earlier this year.

Prosecutors said Chen’s actions harmed the more than 12 men she married over the years. One victim told police he gave Chen $40,000, while others reported losing $30,000, $23,000, and $20,000. Once they sent the funds, several victims reported that Chen cut off contact entirely.

Why Jail Instead of Prison

Judge Crystal Eller suspended an eight- to 20-year state prison sentence, ordering Chen to spend the first year of her probation in the Clark County Detention Center—with credit for 125 days already served. She also must pay $280,000 in restitution to her victims.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Austin Beaumont had requested jail instead of state prison time for a reason. Even though Chen is reportedly a lawful permanent resident, sending her to state prison typically results in coordination with federal immigration authorities, who could decide to deport her before her victims are able to pursue restitution.

Judge Eller warned Chen that she would face the prison term if she repeated her misconduct.

After her release from jail, Chen must begin another year of probation during which she attends Gamblers Anonymous meetings and counseling, and is electronically monitored.