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2 indicted for alleged human smuggling
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Posted on Jun 29 2011
An indictment was filed Monday in federal court against two persons who allegedly recruited six persons in China to come to the CNMI with promises of finding them jobs here while pretending to be tourists.
The indictment charged Honglian Cheng and Li Hua with foreign labor contracting fraud conspiracy, six counts of foreign labor contracting fraud, one count of alien smuggling conspiracy, six counts of alien smuggling, and three counts of importation of alien for prostitution.
Hua was allegedly responsible for recruiting the six persons in China, while Cheng was allegedly the one who brought them to Saipan.
The six—Zhongjun Yu, Cuilan Ma, Chungping Li, Lifei Bian, Shoujun Yin, and Zhipeng Ren—have already pleaded guilty in federal court to improper entry.
The six arrived in the CNMI on May 30, 2011, from China with the intention of finding work. Cheng and Hua allegedly made false promises to the six such as a work visa after arrival, guaranteed employment, and salaries of over $800 per month.
Prior to coming to the CNMI on May 30, Hua and Lifei Bian, Chungping Li, and Shoujun Yin allegedly worked in Bahrain as prostitutes.
From May 12 to 27, 2011, Cheng allegedly made arrangements with a resident in the CNMI to find karaoke bars where Lifei Bian, Chungping Li, and Shoujun Yin could work as prostitutes.
