Feds seize hot cars from businessmen

The US government seized from its Chinese owners a pair of luxury and sport utility vehicles that federal agents believe were ill-obtained using funds derived from an illegal gambling operation.

The owners of a 1999 Mitsubishi Montero and a 2000 Toyota 4Runner confiscated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in February this year were indicted before the US District Court with charges in connection with an illegal gambling business.

Defendants Hui Min Huang and Jun Wie Liu pled not guilty to the charges late last year. Both, including Lu Rong Tian, Triple J Motors, and others have been summoned by the federal court to submit claims or state reasons why the units should not be condemned or forfeited.

The vehicles are now in the custody of the Deputy US Marshal.

According to court documents, the money used in the purchase of the automobiles was derived from and represents proceeds of illegal gambling.

Its owners, Chinese contract workers, earning $3.05 to $3.50 an hour without other means of gaining income could not possibly have afforded the purchase of the luxury items with value greater than $10,000, court documents implied.

Labor documents reveal that Mr. Liu who was employed as a waiter at the Ming Dynasty Investment Corporation earned $500 per month, with no other income sources. Mr. Huang, who was a manager at the Heng Da Corp., was also earning $1,700 per month, also with no other income sources.

FBI Special Agent Richard G. Wallace, in an affidavit, presented to the district court City Trust Bank Accounts of the vehicle owners, that showed large sum of withdrawal and deposit activities.

Based on his long years of experience as an investigative officer, Mr. Wallace attested that individuals who are engaged in criminal activity that involves large sums of cash, such as illegal gambling, will frequently use the cash to pay for various expenses and accumulate assets, such as vehicles.

According to the FBI agent, these individuals will also attempt to legitimize the proceeds of the illegal activity by depositing the funds into bank accounts and transferring them between bank accounts.

Mr. Wallace further claimed that based on investigation and comparison of the known legitimate sources of income of the individuals with their known use or application of funds can reveal unexplained wealth.

“From my training and experience, I am aware that courts have recognized that such unexplained wealth in probative evidence of crime motivated by greed, such as illegal gambling and money laundering,” Mr. Wallace stated in the affidavit.

In his interview with Mr. Huang last September 2000, the Chinese male admitted that he was employed by Mr. Liu in an illegal gambling establishment located in the Poon’s Restaurant Building and the VIP Building.

The interviewee told Mr. Wallace that he obtained checks from Mr. Liu that were tendered to the casino by gamblers who came to play the games.

Mr. Huang said he was tasked to process the checks through his business and personal accounts at the City Trust Bank on Saipan.

In an interview with Kwok Kwun Lee, Mr. Wallace learned that Mr. Lee was a 20 percent share holder of the illegal casino business which operated in the VIP Bldg. in Garapan, which he owned.

Mr. Lee reportedly told the FBI that Mr. Liu also held a 20 percent share in the casino business and is the overall manager of the operation.

He also admitted that the majority shareholder of the casino is Yung Yao Chen, also known as Daryl Chen, owning 60 percent of the shares.