A Southern California man, Michael Wei Yueh Liu, 59, of Rancho Cucamonga, was sentenced to more than three years in prison for operating a “birth tourism” scheme. Liu and his co-conspirator, Jing Dong, 47, were convicted of conspiracy and international money laundering. The scheme, known as “USA Happy Babby Inc.,” promoted the benefits of giving birth to a child in the U.S. rather than China, with supposed incentives including “better air,” superior educational resources, food safety, and political stability.
The pair charged between $20,000 and $40,000 for each client, with VIP clients paying upwards of $100,000. They would pay agents in China to recruit pregnant Chinese women and coach them on how to pass U.S. consulate interviews. The visa applications falsely stated the women would be staying in the U.S. for a period of days or weeks, not months, and misrepresented where they would be staying.
Federal agents raided about 20 locations related to the scheme, including an apartment complex in Rancho Cucamonga. The women were advised to fly to certain ports of entry, wear loose-fitting clothing, and favor certain lines at customs. They were also told how to answer customs officials’ questions.
Liu and Dong leased apartments in Orange and San Bernardino counties to the women under fake names. Over the course of the scheme, the pair made several million dollars. Liu was sentenced following a four-day trial, while Dong will be sentenced later.