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07/29/03
 On
July 25, brothers David and Michael Cheng were found guilty
of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud through a scheme
that smuggled citizens of the People's Republic of China
into the United States on the ruse that they were the fiancés
of American citizens. Both brothers face a maximum prison
sentence of five years and a fine of $250,000.
The
Cheng brothers thought they had the perfect plan. They
would recruit young Chinese-Americans, offer them a payment
of $10,000, then fly them to China to meet their "fiancé" and
take romantic photographs of their "engagement party." Fake
letters of undying love would be exchanged. Then, all of
these would be forwarded to the U.S. Bureau of Immigration
and Customs Enforcement with a petition for a visa that
would allow the "happy couple" to be united in
marriage in America. Not one wedding ever took place. In
fact, twelve young recruits testified at the trial that
while they had been happy to accept the $10,000 payment,
they never had any intention of marrying their supposed "fiancés." The
Cheng brothers, meanwhile, were receiving $40,000 from
families in the People's Republic for the privilege of
this convenient entry into the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Bureau of
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Metropolitan
Police Department, and prosecuted by the District of Columbia
U.S. Attorney Office.
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