A New York man has been brought to justice after being sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in a cigarette trafficking conspiracy that resulted in a tax loss of over $1.6 million.
Ki Hin Lee, 31, of Flushing, pleaded guilty on June 20, 2017 to his involvement in the conspiracy, which spanned from January 2015 to November 2016.
According to court documents, Lee participated in a cigarette trafficking conspiracy that involved purchasing bulk quantities of Virginia tax-stamped cigarettes from a Fredericksburg gas station owner. He would then transport the cigarettes back to Staten Island, where they were sold on the black market. Lee eventually took over the role of courier and facilitator, making at least 46 solo trips from Staten Island to Virginia, during which he handed over tens of thousands of dollars in cash to purchase quantities of cigarettes ranging between 600 and 900 cartons.
The cigarettes were then smuggled back to the Staten Island home of Lee’s co-conspirator, resulting in a tax loss of over $1.6 million. Lee personally smuggled at least 276,000 packs of cigarettes from Virginia to New York City for illegal resale.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett prosecuted the case.
The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Investigative Division, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The defendant’s full name is Ki Hin Lee, and he is 31 years old and from Flushing, New York. The exact criminal charges against him are conspiracy to traffic contraband cigarettes. The city and state where the crime took place is Fredericksburg, Virginia. The sentence or outcome is 18 months in prison. The tax loss resulting from the crime is over $1.6 million.
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Drug Trafficking|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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