Federal authorities have secured the extradition of Danhong "Jean" Chen, also known as Maria Sofia Taylor, a former immigration attorney from Atherton, California, who will appear in federal district court in San Jose. Chen was extradited from the Kyrgyz Republic, marking the first time that country has cooperated with the United States government to return a defendant facing federal criminal charges.
Chen, along with her business partner and ex-spouse Jianyun "Tony" Ye, was indicted in 2019 on charges involving extensive visa fraud aimed at exploiting the EB-5 visa program. Prosecutors assert that the defendants fraudulently secured immigration benefits for more than 100 foreign investors, through falsified documentation and misrepresentation. According to court filings, Chen's law firm—the Law Offices of Jean D. Chen, based in San Jose—handled roughly $52 million of migrant investors’ funds.
The EB-5 program allows foreign nationals to secure United States green cards by investing in American businesses, typically $500,000 in areas experiencing low employment or $1 million elsewhere. Prosecutors allege Chen forged signatures, falsified records, and deliberately misrepresented the nature and ownership of regional EB-5 investment centers in order to qualify her clients fraudulently for immigration benefits. One of the central allegations in the indictment centers on the Golden State Regional Center, purchased by Chen in 2014 and subsequently transferred without the new owner's knowledge to disguise the true owner.
Beyond visa fraud, Chen faces charges of obstruction of justice stemming from investigations conducted separately by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the FBI. According to the indictment, Chen instructed witnesses to lie to federal investigators and attempted to destroy evidence pertinent to government probes. Chen reportedly fled the United States in 2018 immediately after the SEC filed a civil complaint alleging investment fraud violations. She remained a fugitive until the Kyrgyz authorities apprehended her, facilitating this unprecedented extradition.
Ye, Chen’s former spouse and business partner who already was prosecuted in relation to the same fraudulent scheme, pleaded guilty in 2021 and completed his 12-month prison sentence.
This prosecution highlights efforts pursued by the FBI and the SEC Office of the Inspector General, coordinated by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs in partnership with Kyrgyz law enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lloyd Farnham is leading the prosecution.
If convicted, Chen faces substantial prison sentences, potentially decades behind bars, as well as significant monetary fines. The charges include multiple counts of visa fraud, obstruction of justice, and aggravated identity theft.
For more details, visit the U.S. Attorney's Office press release.
