Federal 'maternity tourism' case grows with arrest of O.C. attorney
Federal agents have arrested an Irvine attorney on suspicion of trying to spirit a Chinese woman out of the U.S. in violation of a court order that she remain in the country as part of an investigation into illegal immigration of pregnant women, authorities said Monday.
Ken Zhiyi Liang, 38, was taken into custody on Friday and faces a charge of attempted witness tampering. During a court appearance Monday, a magistrate judge set bail for Liang at $100,000, despite a request from prosecutors that he be kept in custody, said a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office. Liang was expected to remain behind bars at least until later in the week, when a U.S. District judge hears prosecutors' appeal on the bail issue, the spokesman said.
The arrest stems from an ongoing investigation into so-called maternity tourism in Southern California. In March, scores of federal agents raided properties associated with three alleged operators, who typically bring pregnant Chinese women into the country on tourist visas so their children will be born U.S. citizens.
After searching apartment complexes in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties where operators were suspected of housing pregnant women, authorities named several people as material witnesses in the case and barred them from leaving the country.
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Federal agents have arrested an Irvine attorney on suspicion of trying to spirit a Chinese woman out of the U.S. in violation of a court order that she remain in the country as part of an investigation into illegal immigration of pregnant women, authorities said Monday.
Ken Zhiyi Liang, 38, was taken into custody on Friday and faces a charge of attempted witness tampering. During a court appearance Monday, a magistrate judge set bail for Liang at $100,000, despite a request from prosecutors that he be kept in custody, said a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office. Liang was expected to remain behind bars at least until later in the week, when a U.S. District judge hears prosecutors' appeal on the bail issue, the spokesman said.
The arrest stems from an ongoing investigation into so-called maternity tourism in Southern California. In March, scores of federal agents raided properties associated with three alleged operators, who typically bring pregnant Chinese women into the country on tourist visas so their children will be born U.S. citizens.
After searching apartment complexes in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties where operators were suspected of housing pregnant women, authorities named several people as material witnesses in the case and barred them from leaving the country.
Security cameras installation los angeles.
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