Cary Yan, Bribery, New York 2020

[Image description: A photo of the US flag waving in the wind]

Cary Yan, a/k/a Hong Hui Yan, a/k/a Chen Hong, and Gina Zhou, a/k/a Chaoting Zhou, a/k/a Angel Zhou, were extradited from Thailand for their alleged involvement in a multi-year bribery scheme targeting high-level officials in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI).

According to the indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court, Yan and Zhou, as officers, directors, employees, and agents of a New York City-based non-governmental organization (NGO), offered and paid bribes to RMI officials to pass legislation beneficial to their business interests.

The duo allegedly began their scheme as early as December 2016, communicating and meeting with RMI officials in both New York City and the RMI to develop a semi-autonomous region within the Rongelap Atoll. Yan and Zhou intended to attract investors to participate in economic and social development projects in the proposed region.

In April 2018, Yan and Zhou hosted a conference in Hong Kong attended by RMI officials, further advancing their bribery scheme. The investigation, carried out by the Southern District of New York and its partners, signals that the region will not tolerate those who violate democratic processes.

Yan and Zhou were arrested in Thailand on November 16, 2020, and were extradited to the United States. They are expected to be presented in court on Tuesday.

The defendants are charged with violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), money laundering, and conspiracy to commit both. The case is assigned to District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald.

Mandatory Facts: Defendant/Respondent: Cary Yan; Exact Criminal Charges: FCPA violations, money laundering, and conspiracy; City and State: New York; Exact Date: at least in or about 2016 through at least in or about 2019; Sentence or Outcome: current status pending; Dollar Amounts: none specified.

Related Federal Cases