r****a
发帖数: 3249 | 1 http://m.ocregister.com/articles/liang-662190-witness-federal.h
Email Article
An Irvine attorney who represents Chinese parents mired in a federal
crackdown on the local birth tourism industry was arrested on charges of
attempted witness tampering, government officials said Monday.
Ken Z. Liang, 38, who was arrested outside his Irvine office Friday
afternoon and spent the weekend in federal custody, is scheduled to be
arraigned in federal court in Santa Ana this afternoon.
Liang is accused of accepting $6,000 from a material witness in exchange for
helping her leave the country, despite court orders, according to the U.S.
Attorney’s Office.
Liang also asked for $3,000 for help provided by three others, but declined
to offer a written contract and asked for cash payments, officials alleged.
The witness was cooperating with federal officials and the conversations
were monitored and recorded.
Liang was arrested as he was walking with the witness towards his car, “
supposedly to begin a trip to a coffee shop in Corona, where he was going to
introduce the witness to the co-conspirators, who are not identified in the
affidavit,” according to Thom Mrozek, a U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman.
After his arrest, officials said Liang led agents back to his office and
returned the $6,000 he had accepted from the witness.
"Obviously, anytime somebody interferes with a federal investigation
particularly when witness is under court order, it’s extremely serious,"
said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Chenwei Yang. "It’s serious conduct we
will investigate thoroughly."
The U.S. Attorney’s Office designated 29 Chinese nationals--pregnant women
and their family members--as material witnesses in an investigation against
three Chinese companies that provide vacation-style trips to families who
want to have their newborns born in the United States.
Federal agents swarmed apartment complexes and homes in Orange, Los Angeles
and San Bernardino counties on March 3, interviewing Chinese pregnant women
and seizing computers and documents. Federal officials said the companies
have engaged in visa and tax fraud, money laundering and conspiracy.
Company operators have not been charged.
Instead, one new mother who was designated as a material witness was
arrested at the Los Angeles Airport on April 15 as she was trying to leave
the country with her newborn. Ying Wu remains under house arrest and wears a
GPS monitoring device.
Another 10 witnesses, including four men, who left the country were issued
arrest warrants on April 30. Federal officials accused them of obstruction
of justice, contempt of court and making false statements on their visa
applications.
An 11th Chinese national, temporarily living in Orange County, is married to
one of the material witnesses and although she was not designated as a
material witness, she was charged with visa fraud after she left the country
with her husband and baby.
Liang represented the Orange County couple. He also represents several other
material witnesses.
During an interview last month, Liang questioned the government’s focus on
the women intead of the companies and expressed optimism that the charges
against his clients could be cleared.
Liang also defended his wealthy clients, saying no one had run out on their
hospital bills, as government officials allege in court documents.
“You shouldn’t handle them as criminals,” Liang said during an earlier
interview.
The families paid $50,000 and more for their stay in Southern California,
which depending on the package they chose included trips to Disneyland,
South Coast Plaza, and for some, a shooting range.
In the United States, anyone born in this country receives automatic
birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment. It is not illegal to come
to the U.S. to give birth, but it is illegal to lie about one’s intentions
on a visa application.
If convicted, Liang faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.
Contact the writer: 714-796-7829 or [email protected]
/* */ | p**r
发帖数: 5853 | 2 这哥们水平不行，我之前有朋友找他去上庭，
丫居然没关手机，被法官训了一顿，也算是无语人士。 | r****a
发帖数: 3249 | 3 钓鱼执法。该律师没有经受住$$$的考验。
One of those material witnesses, a former client identified as “D.L,”
assisted in an investigation that led to Liang’s arrest, according to an
affidavit by Scott McKim, special agent with Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.
On May 7, D.L. called Liang to say she was concerned that her visa would
soon be expiring. In subsequent conversations in Mandarin, which were
recorded, Liang told her he could help her with her immigration case,
according to McKim’s affidavit.
“D.L. expressed that she would rather leave,” McKim wrote.
They discussed the departure of Yi and Xiao. Liang said that “although he
told them not to sneak out of the United States, he could not do anything,
as it was not considered a criminal act.”
According to the affidavit, Liang said he wanted to meet in person. When
they met, he said that returning to China was difficult and that their
conversation “may cause him (Liang) to be in ‘big trouble.’”
On May 12, the two met at his office in a meeting that was captured by audio
and video and live-audio feed. Liang told D.L. it might be easier to leave
from San Francisco and as a political asylum applicant, according to the
affidavit.
For an additional $1,500 to $3,000, “Liang said he could have D.L. board a
plane, without any travel documents. Liang again stated he could help D.L.’
s mother and her child, but again stated he would be in trouble for helping
D.L.,” McKim wrote. The additional funds, or “hush money,” would go to
others that would assist her, McKim wrote in the court document.
“Liang admonished D.L. to not tell anybody about this plan,” McKim wrote.
On Thursday, D.L. returned to Liang’s Irvine office to discuss the details.
The meeting was recorded and audio monitored live by McKim. There were
technical problems with the audio feed and she left the office, returning
the next day.
On Friday, D.L. returned to Liang’s office, where he said he would take her
to a Starbucks in Corona to meet others who could help. As they approached
Liang’s car, around noon, special agents stopped and arrested him.
Following his arrest, Liang denied making any promises that he could get D.L
. back to China by the end of next week, according to the affidavit.
for
.
【在 r****a 的大作中提到】
: http://m.ocregister.com/articles/liang-662190-witness-federal.h
: Email Article
: An Irvine attorney who represents Chinese parents mired in a federal
: crackdown on the local birth tourism industry was arrested on charges of
: attempted witness tampering, government officials said Monday.
: Ken Z. Liang, 38, who was arrested outside his Irvine office Friday
: afternoon and spent the weekend in federal custody, is scheduled to be
: arraigned in federal court in Santa Ana this afternoon.
: Liang is accused of accepting $6,000 from a material witness in exchange for
: helping her leave the country, despite court orders, according to the U.S.
| y**z
发帖数: 4154 | 4 冒这么大风险才收6千刀，还记得替3个帮手要3千刀，业界良心呐-～
这律师也忒不专业了，better call Saul~ 这协助钓鱼的孕妇也忒不地道了。。。
for
.
【在 r****a 的大作中提到】
: http://m.ocregister.com/articles/liang-662190-witness-federal.h
: Email Article
: An Irvine attorney who represents Chinese parents mired in a federal
: crackdown on the local birth tourism industry was arrested on charges of
: attempted witness tampering, government officials said Monday.
: Ken Z. Liang, 38, who was arrested outside his Irvine office Friday
: afternoon and spent the weekend in federal custody, is scheduled to be
: arraigned in federal court in Santa Ana this afternoon.
: Liang is accused of accepting $6,000 from a material witness in exchange for
: helping her leave the country, despite court orders, according to the U.S.
| l*****r
发帖数: 15615 | 5 看来已经看入戏了，lol
【在 y**z 的大作中提到】
: 冒这么大风险才收6千刀，还记得替3个帮手要3千刀，业界良心呐-～
: 这律师也忒不专业了，better call Saul~ 这协助钓鱼的孕妇也忒不地道了。。。
:
: for
: .
| s*****8
发帖数: 1891 | | r****a
发帖数: 3249 | 7 钓鱼执法事出有因，看来该律师早就引起检方注意了。
世界新闻网
记者王善言／尔湾报导
May 18, 2015, 10:36 pm 2244 次
。。。。
根据检方起诉书，联邦探员录下的对话录音显示，梁志毅指导“优孕”产妇证人，如何
在不携带旅行文件的情况下搭机返回中国，指出这样做不会被美国政府官员察觉。这名
叫做吴盈的产妇日前在洛杉矶国际机场被拦截。
梁志毅并涉嫌向另外三人每人收取3000元现金，提供帮助，包括指导她们删除短信及预
付费手机的所有通信等。
2015-05-18 17:00 来源: 侨报网 作者:高睿
.....
联邦助理检察官杨晨伟（音译）介绍说，梁志毅除了用6000元服务费作为交换，答应帮
助其“证人”逃回中国外，他还为另外两名“证人”逃回中国提供了帮助，这两人分别
是易珑静和她的丈夫肖俊。肖军4月4日因逃离美国而被起诉。另一名得到梁帮助的“证
人”吴莹于4月15日在洛杉矶国际机场准备逃回中国的时候被警方逮捕。 | s*******d
发帖数: 17566 | 8 笑屎
【在 r****a 的大作中提到】
: 钓鱼执法事出有因，看来该律师早就引起检方注意了。
: 世界新闻网
: 记者王善言／尔湾报导
: May 18, 2015, 10:36 pm 2244 次
: 。。。。
: 根据检方起诉书，联邦探员录下的对话录音显示，梁志毅指导“优孕”产妇证人，如何
: 在不携带旅行文件的情况下搭机返回中国，指出这样做不会被美国政府官员察觉。这名
: 叫做吴盈的产妇日前在洛杉矶国际机场被拦截。
: 梁志毅并涉嫌向另外三人每人收取3000元现金，提供帮助，包括指导她们删除短信及预
: 付费手机的所有通信等。
| z*********n
发帖数: 94654 | 9 这律师估计也是半道出家，没几个客人，好容易有个共同语言的了，6000块就激动得不
得了了
找这水平的律师代理能有啥好啊
for
.
【在 r****a 的大作中提到】
: http://m.ocregister.com/articles/liang-662190-witness-federal.h
: Email Article
: An Irvine attorney who represents Chinese parents mired in a federal
: crackdown on the local birth tourism industry was arrested on charges of
: attempted witness tampering, government officials said Monday.
: Ken Z. Liang, 38, who was arrested outside his Irvine office Friday
: afternoon and spent the weekend in federal custody, is scheduled to be
: arraigned in federal court in Santa Ana this afternoon.
: Liang is accused of accepting $6,000 from a material witness in exchange for
: helping her leave the country, despite court orders, according to the U.S.
| r*c
发帖数: 16750 | 10 Univ of California Berkeley; Berkeley CA
Case Western Reserve Un SOL; Cleveland OH | r****a
发帖数: 3249 | 11 不得保释。
An Irvine attorney accused of attempted witness tampering will be held in
federal custody without bail because he poses a significant flight risk, a
federal judge ruled Wednesday. |
|
