SAN JOSE, Calif.—An immigration lawyer who was extradited from Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia made her first appearance in federal district court in San Jose on March 7.
Danhong “Jean” Chen, 60, talked with federal public defense attorneys outside the courtroom for about half an hour before an officer pushed her in a wheelchair into the courtroom.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a complaint against her on Oct. 18, 2018. One day later, Chen fled the United States. At one time authorities believed she lived in China, according to a 2022 complaint by SEC.
Chen and her ex-husband Jianyun “Tony” Ye were indicted in March 2019 by a federal grand jury for alleged visa fraud, according to a Department of Justice press release. The alleged fraud was related to obtaining benefits for more than 100 foreign investors through the employment-based immigration fifth preference visa program known as EB-5….