"The Department announced today the arrest of Zhongsan Liu, who was charged by complaint for his involvement in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain US visas for Chinese government employees," the release stated on Monday. "Liu was arrested… in Fort Lee, New Jersey."
Liu operates the New York office of the China Association for International Exchange of Personnel (CAIEP-NY), a Chinese government agency whose activities include recruiting US scientists, academics, engineers and other specialists to work in China, the Justice Department explained.
"Liu worked with others, including other PRC Government employees in the United States, to fraudulently procure J-1 Research Scholar visas for a CAIEP-NY employee (CC-1) and a prospective CAIEP-NY employee (the CAIEP-NY Hire)," the release said.
The J-1 Research Scholar visa program allows foreign nationals to visit the United States mainly to carry out research at corporate centres, museums, libraries, universities or other centres of learning, the Justice Department said.