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According to reports, the Chinese trio used the licenses to illegally withdraw funds from bank accounts and purchase luxury vehicles.
Reports show that the trio allegedly didn’t pull off the massive scam on their own. They enlisted the help of several co-conspirators to help. The main ringleaders have been identified as 32-year-old Xui Jie “Johnny” Chen, 41-year-old Jin Wei Chen, and 34-year-old Yue Yuan.
The three individuals worked together to obtain thousands of driver’s licenses from actual US citizens across at least 14 states, including Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New York, and Texas. Then, the trio would have third-party co-conspirators attempt to withdraw funds from various bank accounts using the fake driver’s licenses. Often, the scam would work, and the trio would wind up being able to withdraw significant amounts from an account.
It’s alleged that the trio used those funds to purchase several luxury vehicles. Now, they’re each being charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and multiple counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, then each individual could face up to 30 years in prison and up to two years for each aggravated identity theft charge.
This bust was made possible thanks to the hard investigative work of the Metropolitan Police Department, Nevada Gaming Commission, Nevada Gaming Control Board, and Department of Homeland Security.
A jury trial is set to begin on July 14th at 9 A.M. and will be heard by U.S. District Court Judge James Mahan.
In Nevada, identity theft is taken extremely seriously. This charge is considered a Category B felony and can result in a sentence of up to 20 years and fines of up to $100,000. It’s important to also consider that courts can order offenders to pay restitution to any victims who were impacted by the offender’s crimes, and that financial restitution can be substantial.
Your charges can also be upgraded if the victim is considered a “vulnerable person” under the law. Vulnerable individuals include minors, seniors, or adults who are considered mentally or physically disabled. When the victim is a vulnerable person, penalties are increased. If convicted, then you’ll face a minimum prison sentence of up to three years.
Bank fraud is typically prosecuted at the federal level. It carries penalties of up to 30 years in prison, fines that could reach an overwhelming $1 million, potential property forfeiture, and restitution.
If you face either one of these serious charges, then it’s important to promptly hire a lawyer to help you defend yourself. If you’re interested in scheduling a free case evaluation in Las Vegas, then consider reaching out to our team here at LV Criminal Defense. We’ve been representing clients accused of similar financial crimes since founding our firm a decade ago.
Contact us now by leaving your contact information on our online form or calling us at (702) 623-6362.
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