Jason M. Frierson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada
A man from Los Angeles, California, appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Maximiliano D. Couvillier III in Las Vegas for his alleged involvement in a transnational financial fraud scheme. The individual, Xui Jie Chen, also known as "Johnny Chen," along with Jin Wei Chen from Flushing, New York, and Yue Yuan from the People's Republic of China, have been accused of obtaining over 5,000 genuine drivers' licenses belonging to U.S. citizens across various states including New York and Texas.
The defendants allegedly used these licenses to withdraw funds from banks and secure financing for luxury vehicles under false pretenses. This criminal operation reportedly affected at least 14 states such as Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Minnesota.
Each defendant faces charges related to a conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. A jury trial is scheduled for July 14, 2025, before United States District Judge James C. Mahan.
If found guilty, the defendants could face up to 30 years in prison for the bank fraud conspiracy charge and a mandatory minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The announcement was made by Sigal Chattah, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada; Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Lester R. Hayes of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas.
The investigation was conducted by HSI Las Vegas with help from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Nevada Gaming Commission, and the Nevada Gaming Control Board Enforcement Division. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Frayn and Trial Attorney Ken Kaplan are handling prosecution duties.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
