The U.S. government has agreed to return $13,000 out of the $23,000 to a couple that claimed ownership to the money that was seized at the Francisco C. Ada Saipan International Airport from a hand-carried luggage of a store worker who was bound for Shanghai, China in February last year. <\/p>\n
In exchange, couple Xingnong Xu and Shaorong Zheng have agreed that all their interest in the remaining $10,000 shall be forfeited to the U.S. government for disposition according to law.<\/p>\n
The U.S. government, through assistant U.S. attorney Russell H. Lorfing, and claimants Xu and Zheng, through counsel Samuel I. Mok, decided to divide the amount after reaching a settlement agreement.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement, Xu ang Zeng stipulated that there was a reasonable cause for the seizure of their $23,000.<\/p>\n
Xu and his wife, Zheng, earlier claimed they are the innocent owners of the forfeited money at issue.<\/p>\n
Xu and Zheng, through counsel Mok, in their petition said they did not know that Delin Ma, who actually transported the money would fail to report the currency on a FinCen Form 105 as required by law.<\/p>\n
Mok said the couple collectively earned the money from their joint savings from their long-time employment as managers at LN Market and Blue Sky Market.<\/p>\n
Mok said the $20,000 was intended for the couple\u2019s son\u2019s living expenses and tuition payment for private school, and Xu\u2019s mother for Chinese New Year celebration.<\/p>\n
Mok said $3,000 was for a personal loan to Ma.<\/p>\n
Mok asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI to return to the couple the seized $23,000.<\/p>\n
A federal grand jury indicted Ma with one count of bulk cash smuggling out of the United States. <\/p>\n
Under the currency reporting laws, a person is required to report any amount of currency $10,000 and over when traveling out of or into the U.S.<\/p>\n
Ma pleaded guilty.<\/p>\n
Attorney Mark Hanson, counsel for Ma, said the defendant was stopped at the Saipan airport on his way back to China for his son\u2019s wedding.<\/p>\n
In December 2015, the court imposed a 36-month probation sentence on the 52-year-old Ma. The court forfeited the $23,000 seized from Ma.<\/p>\n
The court also ordered to return to Ma the $3,294 that he was carrying on his person at the time of his arrest.<\/p>\n
In the U.S. government\u2019s motion to dismiss, Lorfing said in no way do petitioners provide the time and circumstances of their acquisition of their legal interest in the forfeited money in a way that would allow the court to determine if they have a claim for which relief could be granted.<\/p>\n
In Xu\u2019s and Zheng\u2019s petition for return of the seized property, Mok said at the time of the seizure, Ma was a full-time employee of LN Market.<\/p>\n
Mok said Ma is Zheng\u2019s distant relative. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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