The Department of Homeland Security has filed a complaint with the U.S. District Court for the NMI against a woman who allegedly committed visa fraud to renew her CNMI driver\u2019s license. <\/p>\n
Yaping Tao, a citizen of the People\u2019s Republic of China, is accused of document and visa fraud and is charged with conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with visas, and fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.<\/p>\n
According to the complaint filed by Homeland Security Investigation special agent David West, he conducted an immigration record check on Tao after identifying a vehicle registered in her name. West determined that Tao has no legal immigration status to be in the U.S.
\nWest said he contacted the CNMI Bureau of Motor Vehicles to verify if Tao had ever applied for a CNMI driver\u2019s license and BMV confirmed that she applied for two separate CNMI driver\u2019s licenses in 2012 and 2015.
\nTao told the HSI investigator through an interpreter that she obtained her first driver\u2019s license legally in 2012 by taking a written test and a driving test.<\/p>\n
When her 2012 driver\u2019s license was about to expire, Tao allegedly asked around about renewing it and that a friend told her about an unnamed Chinese woman who could help her get a driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n
Tao said she knew that she could not renew her driver\u2019s license because she did not have legal immigration status, but she paid that friend over $250 to help renew her license.<\/p>\n
Tao said she signed a blank BMV application and gave her old CNMI driver\u2019s license to her friend.
\nAfter paying the fee, Tao said she went to BMV and only had to take a photo for her license and she never submitted any documents to BMV.
\nTao said the 2015 BMV driver\u2019s license application had her signature, but she was not sure who completed the rest of the application for her. <\/p>\n
Tao said she had never seen the CW-1 visa that was submitted with her application, adding that she does not know what the person did to renew her driver\u2019s license, but knew it was illegal.<\/p>\n
Tao entered the CNMI prior to the federalization of local immigration.
\nTao appeared on Tuesday before District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona.
\nManglona released Tao under her own recognizance and ordered her to report to the U.S. Marshals Service for processing.
\nThe judge also reset Tao\u2019s preliminary hearing and arraignment for Oct 7 at 9am.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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