Thread: Irvine attorney in birth tourism case could face 40 years in prison

Irvine attorney in birth tourism case indicted by federal jury, could face 40 years in prison

June 10, 2015
Updated 3:40 p.m.
BY SCOTT SCHWEBKE / STAFF WRITER

Ken Z. Liang, 38, who was arrested May 15, could face a maximum of 40 years in prison if convicted on both charges, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Yang said following a hearing in U.S. District Court in Riverside., ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

RIVERSIDE – An Irvine attorney representing Chinese parents designated as witnesses in a crackdown on the local birth tourism industry was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday for conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

Ken Z. Liang, 38, who was arrested May 15, could face a maximum of 40 years in prison if convicted on both charges, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Yang said following a hearing in U.S. District Court in Riverside.

“The charges reflect how serious the United States government is about prosecuting attorneys and others who interfere with ongoing investigations,” he said.

James D Riddet, a San Clemente attorney representing Liang, could not be reached for comment.

Liang, who remains in federal custody, 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.

He declined to offer a written contract and asked for cash payments, officials alleged.

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.

Federal agents swarmed apartment complexes and homes in Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties on March 3, interviewing pregnant Chinese women and seizing computers and documents.

Federal officials said three Chinese companies have engaged in visa and tax fraud, money laundering and conspiracy.

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 babies born in the United States so they will be U.S. citizens.

Company operators have not been charged.

Prosecutors contend in the indictment Liang introduced D.L. to an unindicted, unidentified co-conspirator, who purchased airplane tickets for D.L. to leave the U.S. for China without being detected by the federal government.

The indictment also alleges Liang enlisted two other unindictedco-conspirators to drive D.L. to the airport for the flight to China.

It’s also alleged in the indictment that Liang, together with “others known and unknown” to the federal grand jury, committed several overt, criminal acts.

For example, prosecutors contend, Liang accepted $6,000 in cash from D.L. on May 15 in exchange for assistance with travel to China, according to the indictment.

Prosecutors also allege Liang spoke by telephone and met with D.L multiple times, discussed how she could evade federal authorities, and told her he could lose his law license if caught.

Liang will be arraigned June 22 in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/l...-attorney.html

Contact the writer: 714-796-7767 sschwebke@ocregister.com Twitter: @thechalkoutline


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