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Judge orders immediate extradition of property mogul Zeng
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona has ordered the U.S. government to expedite the extradition of property mogul and fugitive Wei Zeng to Hong Kong.
Manglona accepted and certified Zeng’s affidavit of waiver of extradition during Tuesday afternoon’s hearing.
Manglona informed Zeng that he will remain in custody until a removal order from the Secretary of State is received to transfer him to Hong Kong to face the charges pending against him in that jurisdiction.
On Tuesday, Zeng waived his extradition rights and agreed to be brought to Hong Kong. He signed the waiver as the U.S. Department of State has received a formal request from Hong Kong to extradite him.
Assistant U.S. attorney Jessica F. Cruz informed the court on Saturday about the U.S. Department of State’s receipt of the extradition request.
Attorney Bruce Berline, counsel for Zeng, then filed in federal court Zeng’s affidavit of waiver of extradition.
Zeng conceded that he is the individual against whom charges are pending in Hong Kong and for whom process is outstanding there.
In the U.S. government’s notice of receipt, Cruz said that the U.S. Department of State received the extradition request prior to the March 28, 2014, deadline, in compliance with Article 10 of the extradition treaty between Hong Kong and the U.S.
Last February, Zeng pleaded not guilty to the indictment charging him with use of false document and misuse of passport.
The U.S. government also filed a criminal complaint, charging him with lying to a federal agency. He also pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Zeng arrived at the Francisco C. Ada-Saipan International Airport last Jan. 16 from Shanghai, China. He allegedly used a different identity to try to enter Saipan.
The Hong Kong government is seeking Zeng’s extradition due to a pending case against him. According to the U.S. government, Zeng allegedly bribed a Hong Kong bank official with HK 2.3 million ($300,000) in October 2010, as a reward for the bank official’s help in a multi-million Hong Kong dollar loan extension application and for giving favorable credit information relating to Zeng’s two companies.
