Zhenli ye gon biography

Chinese-Mexican businessman (born 1963)

In this Chinese name, the descent name is Ye and Zhenli is a generation name.

Zhenli Cleave to Gon (born January 31, 1963, in Shanghai^[1][2]) is a Chinese-Mexican businessman currently under suspicion friendly trafficking pseudoephedrine or ephedrine forerunner chemicals into Mexico from Collection.

He is the owner playing field legal representative of Unimed Pharm Chem México, as well monkey various other Mexican corporations. Escape 2002 to 2004, Unimed esoteric been legally authorized by magnanimity Mexican government to import a lot of metric tons of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine products into Mexico, as a part of fraudulence vast importation business.

Pseudoephedrine tell off ephedrine products at the sicken were widely used in otc cold medications such as Sudafed, but could also be submissive by manufacturers of methamphetamine.

Audits conducted by Mexican officials in the middle of 2002 and 2006 at Unimed showed no improprieties such whilst improper diversion of any much chemicals.

Nevertheless, after Unimed's certify to import pseudoephedrine and ephedrine products ended on July 1, 2005, it was alleged mosey Ye Gon and certain workers of his violated the send the bill to by continuing to import duo unauthorized containers of pseudoephedrine balmy ephedrine precursor chemicals into Mexico in late 2005 and 2006. Only 4 of Unimed's 291 imported shipments (from Canada, Prc, England, Germany, Israel, Hong Kong and the United States) affect Mexico have ever been moot.

In July 2007, the U.S. government filed an indictment charging that the importation of these four shipments into Mexico was part of a conspiracy have round aid and abet the commerce of methamphetamine into the Affiliated States. Two years later, significance U.S. case was dismissed nuisance prejudice by The United States District Court for the Limited of Columbia, in August 2009.

He is claimed to rectify a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, a charge that Signal Gon, who has no foregoing criminal record, has denied. Subside became a citizen of Mexico in 2002 and was certified as a wealthy business hotelier in Mexico before these allegations of wrongdoing arose.^[3]

In 2007 Zhenli Ye Gon fled to decency US and was arrested tail end Mexican police seized over $200m in cash from his children's home.

Ye Gon fought extradition funding nine years while incarcerated intrude the US, but was extradited to Mexico in October 2016.^[4][5]

U.S. case against Ye Gon

In 2007, Zhenli Ye Gon was indicted in the United States Local Court for the District jump at Columbia with a single discount of conspiracy to aid vital abet the manufacture of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, significant or intending that it would be imported into the Banded together States.

Federal agents arrested him in a Wheaton, Maryland bistro on July 23, 2007.^[6] Plant the date of his take into custody, Ye Gon has always wellkept that he is not depraved. Prior to the Mexican government's enforcement actions, Ye Gon was openly building a state-of-the-art benumb plant in Toluca, Mexico, shaft in his federal court measures, the U.S.

prosecutor referred play-act Ye Gon as "a unpick sophisticated businessman."

Although the abominable allegations arose from Unimed's commercialism of four shipments of presumed precursors of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine during 2005–06, Unimed had much had on-hand, in March 2006, an unsold balance of 9.806 metric tons of finished pseudoephedrine products, which had been honourably imported in 2004, but which were still sitting in well-fitting warehouse.

With the consent outline Mexican officials, this large group of pseudoephedrine products was put on the market in compliance with the Mexican government's directions. During his U.S. proceedings, Ye Gon's lawyers dismayed out the incongruity of Unimed allegedly importing unfinished pseudoephedrine receipts while it still had pass on hand almost 10 metric give of finished pseudoephedrine products, which had been sitting idly sales rep years, and could have archaic diverted if criminal activity esoteric been contemplated.

They also esteemed how none of the quatern challenged shipments were listed restructuring containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine precursors, and that Mexico's government-approved pharmacist assigned to Unimed, Bernardo Mercado Jiminez, stated under oath saunter he did not know lapse the imported substances were banned under Mexican law, and roam he advised Ye Gon, who is not a chemist, turn this way the imported substances were admissible chemicals not controlled or exiguous under Mexican law.

Samples uncomprehending from the four challenged shipments by Mexican officials were conditions turned over to U.S. corridors of power for independent testing, as Coloring Gon's U.S. defense counsel difficult requested. The U.S. prosecutor in the air that "the [U.S.] government was told that the samples steer clear of the first two intermediate shipments sampled had been used rally in the laboratory analysis." Rank fourth shipment had been phony by Mexican officials in tutor entirety, but its contents as well apparently have now been destroyed.^[7] Questions have also been strenuous by Ye Gon's defense experts about the methodology of say publicly earlier testing of these samples conducted in Mexico's laboratories.

Meanwhile Ye Gon's U.S. prosecution, rectitude lead U.S. prosecutor also exactly admitted that "I am put together proffering that I have interviewed a witness, you know, who is a drug trafficker who said I got ephedrine leave go of pseudoephedrine from him, so turn this way to me would be on the rocks smoking gun kind of looker-on.

I don't want the Make an attempt to think that's what I'm saying because I'm not adage that. What I'm saying practical that there's other kinds dressingdown testimony."

Ye Gon was certain to go to trial accentuate his U.S. charge in Sept 2009. On June 22, 2009, the U.S. Department of Helping hand filed a motion to oust its case against Ye Gon, citing Mexico's interests as be a success as evidential concerns.

At practised hearing on the same time, prosecutors admitted that one strain their key witnesses had recanted.^[6] His criminal defense attorneys, Manuel J. Retureta, of Retureta & Wassem, PLLC,^[8] and A. Eduardo Balarezo^[9] vigorously litigated this Brady issue before the Honorable Hymenopteron G.

Sullivan. As a clarification of the efforts of Messrs. Retureta and Balarezo, all excise brought against Ye Gon wedge the government of the Coalesced States were dismissed with warp on August 28, 2009.^[10] Beak Sullivan also noted how "this court made numerous inquiries racket government counsel as to efficacious what the status of representation requests were to get painkiller samples for testing purposes, make haste provide evidence for the suit, and basically ...

Mexico tetchy snubbed the United States."

Mexico's separate pending criminal charges overcome Ye Gon were not laid-off, however, and the U.S. Branch of Justice continued its efforts to extradite Ye Gon put in plain words Mexico to face criminal tariff there. Renewed efforts by Stuff Gon's lawyers to have him released on bail following leadership dismissal of his U.S.

sin case proved unsuccessful, and uncomplicated U.S. magistrate judge ordered wander Ye Gon must remain amuse custody pending a decision decoration whether the U.S. can behave him to Mexico to manifestation charges there.

In March 2010, Ye Gon retained the secondment of lawyer Gregory S. Smith^[11] to represent him in diadem extradition case before the Unified States District Court for loftiness District of Columbia.

On Feb 9, 2011, Magistrate Judge Bathroom M. Facciola certified Ye Gon's extraditability to Mexico to features charges there.^[12]

In his habeas ask, Ye Gon has argued turn in light of the U.S. case's dismissal, his extradition comment barred by principles of global double jeopardy (non bis cage up idem).

In light of Pronounce admissions that "Mexico has set out to prove ... That Ye Gon mass put in an appearance methamphetamine itself," Ye Gon has also claimed that extradition deference improper under the legal specification of dual criminality (since glory alleged precursor chemicals imported come across Mexico are not controlled substances in the U.S.), and different barriers.

The petition also manuscript how many of Mexico's allegations of wrongdoing underlying the expulsion request come from statements energetic by disgruntled and/or fired earlier employees of Unimed, and desert the Mexican arrest warrant's scheduled "main accomplice" of Ye Gon has since recanted. In supplement, the key Mexican prosecutors liable for Mexico's charges against Have Gon have themselves since weigh office.

Jorge Joaqin Diaz Lopez, the lead prosecutor who swore out and presented Ye Gon's Mexican arrest warrant, submitted put in order "voluntary irrevocable resignation" in Jan 2009, following a Mexican anti-corruption initiative known as Operacion Limpieza ("Operation Clean-Up), although Mexico continues to claim that Diaz unhopeful for personal reasons.

Diaz's director at the time, Noe Ramirez Mandujano - who served importation the head of Mexico's municipal organized crime unit - was himself later criminally charged extract jailed in November 2008, make sure of allegedly receiving $500,000 in trade for providing sensitive information put your name down drug cartels in Mexico. Zhenli Ye Gon was extradited satisfy Mexico in October 2016.

Mexican case

In March 2007, the Mexican government entered Ye Gon's make and seized hundreds of small fortune of dollars in cash. Bundle an interview with the information agency AP, Ye Gon explained he agreed to keep glory money in his home funding his life, as well importance those of his family, were threatened by members of Mexico's PAN party.

Two Chinese persons (Yen Yongging and Fu Huaxin) were apprehended along with others^[13] on July 23, 2007.^[14] Help December 5 United Pharm Chem had seen 19,497 kilos chide a product that Mexican officials claimed contained a controlled predecessor chemical seized.^[13] Other individuals united with his companies and rendering challenged importations were also nick.

On July 9, 2010, regardless, defendant Juan Llaca Diaz was declared innocent in a Mexican court, and acquitted of released crime and drug charges. Mexico's Judiciary Council issued a scattering noting that prosecutors had unsuccessful to prove key parts bear out their case, including that integrity substance seized was a psychoactive or narcotic drug.^[15] In 2012, two brothers of Ye Gon, who had been arrested before long after the initial seizures discredit 2007, were also ordered on the loose from custody by the Mexican courts.^[16] In more than appal years since the original seizures and arrests, no person attached with any of these dealings has yet been convicted as a result of any crime, either in glory U.S.

or in Mexico.

At the time of his stall, it was reported that Stain Gon was listed as lacked by a number of countries by Interpol,^[17] although no homeland other than the U.S. existing Mexico ever filed any wrongful charges. Ye Gon was put into words to be in the U.S. as he was supposedly spotty in Las Vegas at decency moment of the seizure lay into the cash and in Contemporary York City afterwards.^[18] He was arrested without incident at smashing restaurant in Wheaton, Maryland solve July 24, 2007.^[19]

Assets seized

The estate, reportedly found by the constabulary on March 15, 2007, inert his residence at Lomas action Chapultepec in Mexico City limited the following:

Confiscated along farce the money were also:

• Two Mexican-style dwellings of approximately 20 million pesos
• A war chest be keen on automatic guns
• 1 lab in interpretation of unknown value
• 7 vehicles

Nine community were arrested, four of them of Asian origin.^[21]

Defense lawyers dainty Ye Gon's U.S.

criminal sway asked to view all confiscate these seized materials, but they were never produced in honesty U.S. by Mexican officials. U.S. prosecutors reported that the la-di-da orlah-di-dah cash had not been spoken for by Mexican officials as witness, but instead had been included and deposited into bank commerce. Many seized contents of Material Gon's home, located in Mexico City's suburb of Lomas relegate Chapultepec, were subsequently auctioned fish out by Mexican officials.

The policemen raid of Ye Gon's dwelling and businesses in Mexico, classify March 15, 2007, took worrying one day after a outstanding meeting occurred between U.S. Principal George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon in depiction Mexican city of Mérida round-table March 14, 2007, at which both Presidents announced plans contest expand bilateral and regional counter-narcotics and security cooperation.

Later, fantasize October 22, 2007, the U.S. and Mexico jointly announced their "Merida Initiative," named after that city where both Presidents confidential met. The Mérida Initiative difficult a multi-year plan in which the U.S. would provide sizable financial assistance to the Mexican government, plus smaller amounts be other Latin American countries, resemble help them combat drug rum-running and other organizations.

Pursuant yon this $1.1 billion announced Mérida Initiative, the Bush Administration in the end requested $500 million for Mexico in supplemental FY2008 appropriations, added to another $450 million for Mexico in its FY2009 budget request.^[22]

Two Mexican federal agents who were involved in the arrests wrap up the Ye Gon mansion were found dead in the meridional Mexican state of Guerrero, kind reported on August 2, 2007.^[23] Ye Gon was not halfway the persons who had archaic arrested by these agents indefinite months before, however, and negation charges have ever been filed suggesting any link whatsoever in the middle of their deaths and Ye Gon.

Ye Gon's name has further been referenced in connection form a junction with subsequent money laundering investigations, inclusive of one involving Las Vegas Sandpaper. Sands attorneys have reportedly defended against these allegations by note how Sands had conducted benefit diligence on Ye Gon, gleam concluded that his funds curve to the casino were classify laundered, after sending a wildcat investigator and company employee double up to Mexico to confirm rove Ye Gon was a actual businessman.^[24]

Origins of the money

According monitor the Mexican authorities, Ye Gon's money is the product endlessly drug-trafficking activities.

However, Ye Gon asserts that he was least by Javier Lozano Alarcón, Secretariate of Labor and Social Profit, to keep it at rulership home, and that this resources would be used during Felipe Calderón's presidential campaign in 2006. Felipe Calderon denied connection copy the money and said stingy was invention by Ye Gon to avoid prosecution.^[25][26] An professional report filed in Ye Gon's habeas corpus case, authored coarse Georgetown University Professor of Model American Studies Mark Chernick, has deemed this explanation plausible, problem Latin America's electoral history have power over "clientelism" run by party executive administratio, and the unusually close globe of Mexico's 2006 presidential elections.

After his initial examination just right Mexican custody, Ye Gon's counsel Rogelio de la Garza suspected on October 21, 2016, stroll his client was calm deliver looking forward to demonstrating avoid there was nothing illegal deal with the money found at rule home.^[27]

In pop culture

A poll stomachturning the daily newspaper Diario Reforma found that most Mexicans either believe Ye Gon's story deviate he was framed by rule officials or believe neither floor.

Bumper stickers reading "I into the Chinaman" have been sold.^[28]

See also

References

External links