SAN JOSE, CA (WKRN) — Danhong “Jean” Chen, also known as Maria Sofia Taylor, has been extradited from the Kyrgyz Republic to the United States to face charges of visa fraud, obstruction of justice, and aggravated identity theft, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California announced on Friday.
Chen, 60, formerly of Atherton, California, stands accused of fraudulently securing U.S. residency for over 100 foreign investors through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. This program allows foreign nationals to obtain a U.S. visa by investing in qualifying U.S. businesses.
Chen, along with her former spouse and business partner, Jianyun “Tony” Ye, was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2019. Chen operated the Law Offices of Jean D. Chen in San Jose, specializing in immigration law. Authorities allege that Chen submitted fraudulent documents to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), including falsified signatures and misleading descriptions of applicants’ qualifications.
The EB-5 program requires foreign nationals to invest either $500,000 in designated low-employment areas or $1 million elsewhere. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Chen’s law firm represented clients who invested approximately $52 million in EB-5 projects, during which she allegedly falsified documents to hide the true ownership of a regional center.
In 2014, Chen purchased the Golden State Regional Center and allegedly transferred ownership to a straw owner without their knowledge. She then filed documents with USCIS to maintain the center’s EB-5 status. Additionally, the indictment includes charges of obstruction of justice, with Chen accused of pressuring an individual to provide false information during investigations by the SEC and FBI.
Chen is currently facing serious charges that could lead to significant legal consequences, and the case remains under investigation.
