Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed in Brooklyn federal court charging Tommy Aijie Da Silva Weng, also known as "Tommy Weng Da Silva" and "Jacky," with wire fraud, mail fraud, and impersonating a federal law enforcement officer. The charges relate to a scheme where Weng allegedly defrauded an individual by claiming he could assist her in obtaining a green card through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program. Weng was arrested this morning and is set to be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Lara K. Eshkenazi.
The arrest and charges were announced by John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Leslie Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's New York Field Office.
"As alleged, Weng falsely represented himself as a member of federal law enforcement to gain the trust of an unsuspecting victim," stated United States Attorney Durham. "The defendant preyed on the victim’s desire to become a United States citizen and pursue the American dream, then stole not only that dream but also hundreds of thousands of dollars. Today, real law enforcement agents put the handcuffs on this fraudster and he will now have to answer for his crimes."
FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies added: "For nearly eight years, Tommy Weng allegedly curated a false persona of a federal law enforcement officer with flashy props and empty assurances of guaranteed lawful status to swindle a vulnerable victim of hundreds of thousands of dollars. This alleged imposter twisted a respected profession into an elaborate scheme while violating the public’s trust in law enforcement. The FBI will continue to apprehend any individual who exploits an authoritative position to garner illicit profits."
Court documents reveal that the fraudulent activities began in April 2016 when Weng allegedly claimed to Jane Doe that he was a federal agent capable of expediting her green card application through his connections if she invested $500,000 with him. He showed her a badge and gave her a business card from the "Federal Officers Police Association." On another occasion, he claimed affiliation with the Department of Homeland Security and mentioned transferring to INTERPOL in Italy. His vehicle had vanity plates referencing ICE.
Jane Doe reportedly provided Weng with $500,000 for the visa process. However, instead of investing or applying for her visa, Weng allegedly kept the money while misleading her about delays over eight years.
Weng faces up to 43 years' imprisonment if convicted. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Individuals with information regarding crimes committed by Weng are urged to contact the FBI at NY_WengTips@fbi.gov.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nadia E. Moore and Daniel J. Marcus from the General Crimes Section.
