Nevada 'Runaway Bride' Who Married Multiple Men To Fund Gambling Addiction Ordered To Repay $280,000

A Nevada woman who allegedly used a string of marriages to extract money from unsuspecting men has been ordered to repay more than $280,000 after pleading guilty to bigamy and financial fraud, according to CourtTV.

Jiaying Chen, 33, was accused of maintaining a yearslong operation in which she pursued romantic relationships, married multiple men and obtained significant amounts of money before abandoning them. Investigators said she went through five marriages in just the past year. Clark County records also revealed that Chen sought 14 marriage licenses between 2019 and 2024, with seven ultimately resulting in documented marriages.

During an October 6 court hearing, prosecutors detailed the financial damage suffered by nine men, whose individual restitution claims ranged from approximately $8,100 to $81,000. One victim described making five separate trips to China in an unsuccessful effort to recover his funds. Prosecutors characterized Chen as a serial marriage scammer who had turned what should have been personal celebrations into financial disasters.

CourtTV writes that her defense argued that compulsive gambling was responsible for the misconduct and maintained that Chen wanted to make her victims financially whole. Attorneys requested that she be allowed to begin working immediately rather than remain incarcerated. Prosecutors likewise favored supervised release over prison, citing concerns that incarceration could trigger immigration consequences and complicate efforts to recover the stolen money.

District Judge Crystal Eller was unconvinced that Chen's behavior would change without meaningful treatment, raising concerns that she could simply resume similar schemes elsewhere using another identity.

The court ultimately imposed a suspended prison term of eight to 20 years, along with eight more months behind bars. Including time already served, Chen's total jail sentence will amount to roughly one year.

Following her release, Chen must complete two years of supervised probation, participate in gambling recovery programs and counseling, and reimburse her victims a combined $280,062.86. She has also received permission to move to Florida, where she reportedly intends to join a new romantic partner and take a waitressing position at a sushi restaurant owned by a friend.