U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
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U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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| In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. |
219 South Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60604 |
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August 20, 2003 Six Arrested in Chinatown Gambling and Extortion Ring Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and James W. Martin, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Investigative Division of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today the arrest of six men, five from Chicago and one from Boston, in connection with an inter-state illegal gambling and extortion ring centered in the Chinatown area of Chicago. The arrests were made earlier today, without incident, by FBI and IRS Special Agents. Those arrested were charged in three separate criminal complaints filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago by U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald with conspiracy to operate an Illegal Gambling Business, Providing Extortionate Extensions of Credit and Collection of Extensions of Credit by Extortionate Means, all of which are felony offenses. According to the complaints, this illegal criminal enterprise was headed by defendant DONG JIN CHEN, who directed the operation of a floating gambling parlor in the Chinatown area that catered to Asian-Americans. The gambling parlor, which frequently changed locations to avoid detection by law enforcement, featured various games of chance, including video gambling devices and ethnic Chinese card and tile games. Additionally, it is alleged that CHEN and his associates would provide loans to regular gamblers, at interest rates ranging from 5% - 10 % per week, and that violence and threats of violence would be used on debtors to force repayment of these loans. To date, the investigation has identified approximately 100 individuals who owed amounts ranging from as little as $500 to over $80,000. The investigation leading to the filing of these charges, code named "Operation Tigershark", was conducted jointly by the FBI and IRS, beginning in April of 2002. The investigation included a court authorized electronic surveillance on a telephone allegedly utilized by one of the principals in this operation. Several hundred gambling and extortion related calls were intercepted over a 60-day period. In addition to today's arrests, search warrants were executed at five different locations in the Chinatown area, resulting in the recovery of both cash and suspected gambling and extortion records. Three late model, luxury automobiles, allegedly purchased with the proceeds of this operation were also seized. Those arrested today are identified as follows: 1. DONG JIN CHEN, age 41, 2841 South Keeley,
Chicago The specific charges filed against each defendant is as follows: JEFF MOON CHEN and VICTOR SHI TING MEI are charged with Conspiracy to operate an Illegal Gambling Business. FU QIANG CHEN is charged with Making an Extortionate Extension of Credit. DONG JIN CHEN, QI MING WENG and KWOK YIN CHAN are charged with Collection of Extensions of Credit by Extortionate Means. All of those arrested locally are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sidney I. Schenkier at 2:00 PM today, at which time they will be formally charged. JEFF MOON CHEN will appear before a U.S. District Court Judge in Boston. If convicted of the charges against them, those arrested today face possible sentences of 5 to 20 years incarceration. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. EDITOR's NOTE: A copy of the complaints filed in this case are available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645. |
