【夏園-Lincoln】EB-5問題項目 涉嫌欺詐中國投資人
流覽次數：5092 添加時間:2016/12/28 來源:Frank Tsang臧煜卓
美國證券交易委員會（SEC）於2016年12月27日）對加州律師Mr. Emilio Francisco及其擁有的PDC
Capital公司提起訴訟，指控他盜用中國EB-5投資人的7,200萬美元供其私人用途如購買遊艇和投資個人其他的生意。
被告Emilio Francisco是一位美國執業律師，設立PDC
Capital投資公司，借著與國外仲介的推廣，在國外市場上募集了7,200萬美元，以幾個完全不同的項目來吸收投資人，項目中文名稱為：夏園，包括了旗下20家公司的項目都被SEC緊急凍結所有資金，並請洛杉磯法院指派一名接管人全權接管這些公司的事務。這些公司觸犯了美國SEC
Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5. 等證劵法規。
根據SEC的指控，Francisco把投資人資金從一個項目私自挪到另一個項目，並直接在其中提取了至少960萬美元，用於他本人的生意以及維持他個人的奢華生活。
這20家公司包括四類項目：餐廳（Caffe Primo
restaurants）、生活設施開發和環保農業與生產清潔產品企業改造。而由於被告私自挪用及亂用公款，勢必違背了當初向移民局申請投資移民的商業計畫及就業計算，因此，目前已經批復核准的申請資格可能都會受到拒簽的影響。被告Francisco是執業律師，他本人清楚這樣的做法是違反聯邦的許多法律，也危及了所有海外投資人申請簽證的資格。他的律師執照不但會被吊銷，而且將面臨許多聯邦重罪的控訴和民事起訴。
美國證監局SEC洛杉磯辦公室主任Michele Wein Layne陳述：“正如我們在訴狀中的指控，被告Emilio
Francisco非法盜用了投資EB-5項目的資金並應該創造美國就業的投資人的資金擴充其個人財富。”
目前SEC已指派個別調查，監管，訴訟的任務給相關人員積極辦理當中，Frank在這裏持續呼籲所有投資人，項目的來源及盡職調查非常重要，資金監管到該用的地方，預算把關，工程進度把關，運營把關，資金流把關，退場機制及運作更要把關，一個負責的區域中心，以上這些事務都會為投資人做到，寧可在投資前找獨立的律師做投資前的投資報告，也不要在事後找律師打官司。
以下是SEC的英文新聞全文。
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2016-281
Washington D.C., Dec. 27, 2016
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a California-based attorney
with defrauding investors seeking to participate in the EB-5 immigrant investor
program, stealing their money to buy a yacht and prop up his other businesses.
The SEC alleges that Emilio Francisco raised $72 million from investors in China
solicited through his marketing firm PDC Capital to invest in EB-5 projects that
included opening Caffe Primo restaurants, developing assisted living facilities,
and renovating a production facility for environmentally friendly agriculture
and cleaning products. Under the EB-5 program, foreign investors can apply to
permanently live and work in the U.S. by investing money in certain projects
that bring about American jobs.
According to the SEC’s complaint, Francisco and PDC Capital diverted investor
funds from one project to another and outright stole at least $9.6 million that
was used to finance Francisco’s own businesses and luxury lifestyle. Francisco
was allegedly aware that doing so would violate federal regulations and
jeopardize any visas for the foreign investors.
“As alleged in our complaint, Emilio Francisco illegally enriched himself with
investor money intended for specific EB-5 projects that create jobs for U.S.
workers,” said Michele Wein Layne, Director of the SEC’s Los Angeles Regional
Office.
The SEC’s complaint charges Francisco, PDC Capital, and 20 other
Francisco-controlled businesses with violating Section 17(a) of the Securities
Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule
10b-5. The SEC is seeking an emergency asset freeze and a court-appointed
receiver over Francisco’s businesses involved in the schemes.
The SEC’s investigation has been conducted in the Los Angeles office by Adrienne
D. Gurley, Jasmine Starr, and Christopher M. Conte, and the case has been
supervised by Spencer Bendell, Alka N. Patel, and John W. Berry. The SEC’s
litigation is being led by John B. Bulgozdy. The SEC appreciates the assistance
of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
作者：Frank Tsang臧煜卓
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