Thread: Buffet owner, family members enter guilty pleas on federal charges

Buffet owner, family members enter guilty pleas on federal charges

Wei Liu owned two restaurants in the Kansas City area

Posted: October 20, 2014 - 8:08pm
By Caroline Sweeney
caroline.sweeney@cjonline.com

The owner of restaurants in Kansas City, Mo. and Olathe, along with several members of his family, pleaded guilty to employing and harboring workers who were in the country illegally, according to U.S. Attorney for Kansas Barry Grissom.

Wei Liu, 40, of Olathe, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens for private financial gain, according to the news release.

Liu and his wife, Xiang, 36, owned and managed Wei’s Super Buffet on South Strang Line Road in Olathe and Wei’s Super Buffet No. 2 on Wornall Road in Kansas City. Mo.

Xiang, according to the release, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to agents of the Department of Homeland Security.

Huiqing Liu, 25, is Wei Liu’s sister, and she pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting wire fraud.

A man who lived with Wei Liu, Bin Liu, also pleaded guilty to making a false statement to agents of the Department of Homeland Security, the release said.

“Wei Liu admitted that he employed at least 12 illegal aliens at his two restaurants,” the release said, “he paid them in cash and provided housing for them without charging them for the housing.”

Another woman, Huiming Liu, 43, who is also Wei Liu’s sister, pleaded guilty to one count of failing to depart from the United States after being told to do so, the release said.

She was sentenced Monday to approximately 10 months of time served.

Wei Liu, according to the release, could face a maximum of 10 years in federal prison with a $250,000 fine.

Both Xiang Liu and Bin Liu could see five years behind bars and a fine of $250,000 each, while Huiqing Liu could face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison along with a fine up to $250,000.

Caroline Sweeney can be reached at (785) 295-5612 or caroline.sweeney@cjonline.com.

http://cjonline.com/news/2014-10-20/...ederal-charges

The Liu's can get more money, but they can't get back time spent in jail. Send then to jail.
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10/20/2014

Chinese restaurant owner in Kansas pleads guilty to harboring illegal workers

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The owner of two Chinese restaurants in the Kansas City area pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to employ and harbor illegal alien workers, announced U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom, District of Kansas.

Three other defendants also pleaded guilty to federal charges.

This guilty plea resulted from an investigation conducted by the following agencies: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kansas Department of Labor, and the Missouri Department of Labor.

Wei Liu, 41, of Olathe, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to harbor illegal aliens for private financial gain. Liu is owner of Wei’s Super Buffet on South Strang Line Road in Olathe and Wei’s Super Buffet No. 2 on Wornall Road in Kansas City, Missouri.

Xiang Liu, 36, of Olathe, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to HSI special agents. She is Wei Liu’s wife and helped manage the businesses.

Huiqing Liu, 25, of Olathe, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting wire fraud. She is Wei Liu’s sister.

Bin Liu, 40, pleaded guilty to making a false statement to HSI special agents. He lived at Wei Liu’s residence in Olathe.

A fifth defendant, Huiming Liu, 43, was sentenced Monday to time served, which was about 10 months. She pleaded guilty to one count of failing to depart from the United States after being ordered to do so. She is Wei Liu’s sister.

In his plea, Wei Liu admitted to employing at least 12 illegal aliens at his two restaurants. He paid them in cash and provided housing for them without charging them for the housing.

The defendants, who will be scheduled for sentencing at a later date, face the following penalties:

• Wei Liu faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000;
• Xiang Liu faces a maximum of five years and a fine up to $250,000;
• Huiqing Liu faces a maximum of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000; and
• Bin Liu faces a maximum of five years and a fine up to $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask, District of Kansas, is prosecuting this case.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ch...llegal-workers

http://www.alipac.us/f12/hsi-investi...istory-311384/

The defendants have agreed to forfeit the franchise rights to ten 7-Eleven stores in New York and four 7-Eleven stores in Virginia, as well as five houses in New York worth over $1.3 million. The case announced today constitutes ICE's largest criminal immigration forfeiture in its history.

In addition, the defendants agreed to pay $2,621,114.97 in restitution for the back wages that they stole from their workers. Two additional defendants in this case have previously pled guilty.