San Jose, CA – A major legal case unfolded as Danhong “Jean” Chen was extradited from the Kyrgyz Republic to face serious charges in the United States. Chen appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen in San Jose, following her arrest abroad due to allegations of extensive visa fraud linked to the EB-5 immigrant investor program.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California has accused Chen, alongside her business partner and former spouse Jianyun “Tony” Ye, of orchestrating a scheme that primarily leveraged the EB-5 visa program to illicitly secure immigration benefits for over 100 foreign investors. This program generally allows foreign nationals to obtain U.S. residency by investing in certain U.S. enterprises.
Key details from the authorities suggest that Chen and Ye engaged in deliberate acts of deception, including the submission of fraudulent documents and fake signatures to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Their actions prompted federal indictments in March 2019, comprising 14 counts of visa fraud among other allegations.
In a related development back in October 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had already raised red flags about Chen’s operations via a civil complaint. It accused her of improperly soliciting investments, which led to heightened scrutiny and her subsequent flight from the U.S.
Chen’s legal troubles deepen with accusations from the U.S. Attorney’s Office detailing her operation of the Law Offices of Jean D. Chen in San Jose. It was revealed that she falsified client qualifications for the EB-5 program, presenting misinformation in her legal submissions to the USCIS.
Investigators say that Chen played a pivotal role in a complex scheme where her clients injected approximately $52 million into projects qualified under the EB-5 program. However, Chen allegedly concealed the real ownership of these investments, particularly involving the Golden State Regional Center, by illicitly transferring ownership and misleading federal authorities.
Adding to her legal woes, Chen has been implicated in obstructing justice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office reports that she instructed individuals to lie during investigations and to destroy pertinent emails, attempts aimed to derail probes by the SEC and the FBI.
Chen is facing a daunting list of charges, with potential penalties if convicted including substantial fines and up to 10 years in prison for each count of visa fraud, two counts of obstruction of justice, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
In conclusion, this case underscores the complexities involved in immigration law and its enforcement, highlighting the need for stringent checks and balances to prevent exploitation of the system. It also illustrates the lengths to which individuals may go to circumvent U.S. immigration laws, and the vigilant efforts of law enforcement in upholding these laws.
The information in this article was created by an automated process and may contain inaccuracies. For corrections, retractions or deletions, please contact [email protected].