Dismantled 'Birth Tourism' Operation In IE: Co-Defendant Sentenced

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA — A Rancho Cucamonga man was sentenced Monday to 41 months in federal prison for operating a "birth tourism" scheme that charged pregnant Chinese clients tens of thousands of dollars to help them deliver in the United States so the babies would have American birthrights.

Michael Wei Yueh Liu, 59, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner. He and co-defendant Jing Dong, 47, also of Rancho Cucamonga, were each convicted Sept. 13 on one count of conspiracy and 10 counts of international money laundering. Dong is expected to be sentenced in the coming weeks, according to federal officials.

According to evidence presented at a four-day trial, from at least January 2012 to March 2015, Liu and Dong ran a maternity house in Rancho Cucamonga. Their pregnant Chinese clients would come to the area, and waiting for them were apartments that Liu and Dong had rented across Southern California.

In addition to housing, other services Liu and Dong provided for the women were assistance on how to obtain visas to enter the United States, customs entry guidance, and transportation in the United States, as well as assistance applying for U.S. legal documents for the babies, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Liu and Dong received money from their overseas clients to promote their scheme and advised the women on how to hide their pregnancies from immigration authorities.

"Liu and Dong also knew — or deliberately avoided learning — that their customers lied on their visa applications submitted to immigration authorities to enter the U.S.," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Generally, their customers’ visa applications falsely stated that the trip to the United States was for tourism, when it was to give birth, and the length of the stay was days or weeks when it was, in fact, months. The visas also misstated the location where the pregnant women intended to stay, the Attorney's Office alleged.

Liu and Dong or their agents also advised the women to fly to ports of entry that the pair perceived as having less customs scrutiny before flying to Los Angeles. The women were instructed to wear loose-fitting clothing and to favor certain lines at customs; they were also told how to answer customs officials’ questions, according to the Attorney's Office.

Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the FBI investigated the case. The Irvine Police Department and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department assisted.