Thread: Judge orders deportation of Taiwanese envoy convicted in labor case

Judge orders deportation of Taiwanese envoy convicted in labor case

By MARK MORRIS
The Kansas City Star

A Taiwanese envoy whose conviction in Kansas City on a federal human trafficking charge sparked diplomatic tensions was ordered deported Friday.

Hsien Hsien Liu, who once led Taiwan’s mission in Kansas City, pleaded guilty in November to fraud in foreign labor contracting, admitting that she had mistreated and underpaid a Philippine housekeeper in her Johnson County home.

Liu, 64, paid $80,044.62 in restitution to that housekeeper and another housekeeper, whom Liu also admitted underpaying.

She also agreed Friday to pay $4,700 in incarceration costs, and she agreed to pick up the costs of her deportation.

Liu’s attorney, James Wirken, and prosecutors had hoped that she would be deported soon after her plea hearing. But U.S. District Judge Greg Kays said he wanted more time to review the customary pre-sentence report before announcing Liu’s sentence. Since then, Kays has received information on the condition of the housekeepers and assurances that they were properly notified that they had the opportunity to speak at Friday’s hearing.

Neither appeared.

Liu’s arrest initially caused tension between the U.S. and Taiwanese government over the issue of whether she possessed diplomatic immunity. That tension appeared to pass after Liu pleaded guilty and Washington and Taipei agreed to settle the immunity question in separate talks.

To contact Mark Morris, call 816-234-4310 or send e-mail to mmorris@kcstar.com.

Judge orders deportation of Taiwanese envoy convicted in labor case - KansasCity.com

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http://www.alipac.us/f12/taiwans-rep...ictims-249611/