LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Los Angeles man made his first court appearance in Las Vegas on Wednesday, facing charges in a transnational financial scheme involving bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Xui Jie Chen, also known as “Johnny Chen,” 32, and co-conspirators Jin Wei Chen, 41, of Flushing, New York, and Yue Yuan, 34, of the People’s Republic of China, are accused of obtaining more than 5,000 drivers’ licenses belonging to people in Nevada and 13 other states.
The three worked with others to use those licenses to withdraw or attempt to withdraw funds from banks and obtain financing for luxury cars under false pretenses, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
The Homeland Security Investigations unit in Las Vegas handled the case with assistance from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Nevada Gaming Commission, and the Nevada Gaming Control Board Enforcement Division.
Chen appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maximiliano D. Couvillier, III, in Las Vegas. In addition to bank fraud conspiracy charges, each defendant faces multiple counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, plus additional time for identity theft.
The scheme touched at least 14 states, including Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota, New York and Texas, according to the news release.
A jury trial is scheduled for July 14 before U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan.
Sigal Chattah, U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada, Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Frayn for the District of Nevada and attorney Ken Kaplan of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case.
