Feds raid alleged Chinese 'maternity tourism' operations in California
Federal agents raided about 20 locations in three Southern California counties early Tuesday as part of an investigation targeting ?birth tourism? schemes in which pregnant Chinese women travel to the United States on fraudulent visas so that their children will be born U.S. citizens.
Search warrants were served at the homes of people federal authorities suspected of running the operations as well as at apartment complexes in Irvine, Rancho Cucamonga, Rowland Heights and Walnut where pregnant women were allegedly being housed.
In the Irvine case, an undercover agent posed as an expectant mother and contacted a representative of "You Win USA.? The agency helped her come up with a bogus employer, a false proof of income and a fake college diploma to bolster the appearance that she was likely to return to China after a brief visit, according to the affidavit.
More than 400 women associated with the Irvine location have given birth at one Orange County hospital since 2013, agents wrote in the affidavit. One of the women paid $4,080 out of $28,845 in hospital bills when her bank account showed charges at Wynn Las Vegas and purchases made at Rolex and Louis Vuitton stores, the affidavit said.