Palo Alto Lawyer Convicted In EB-5 Visa Fraud Scheme

PALO ALTO, CA — A Palo Alto lawyer was convicted of fraud along with her business partner, stemming from a years-long scheme in which they collected millions of dollars from foreigners applying for EB-5 visas, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

A federal jury this week found Jennifer Yang, 52, and Daniel Wu, 56, of Las Vegas, guilty of charges including conspiracy, identity theft, visa fraud and mail fraud, according to the Mercury News.

Yang and Wu collected more than $4 million between 2007 and 2016, falsely claiming that the money they spent on luxury goods had actually been invested into commercial enterprises, according to federal prosecutors.

Yang and Wu, who were charged in 2017, were accused of submitting fraudulent documents which claimed the visa applicants were creating new businesses. In fact, they were filing forms with fake jobs and bogus investments, according to prosecutors.

Yang, who is barred in Washington, D.C., promoted herself as a legal specialist in the South Bay for people interested in applying for EB-5 visas, prosecutors said.

Yang and Wu both pleaded not guilty. They were released on $500,000 bond and will be sentenced in April 2020, according to the Mercury News.

Bay City News contributed to this report.