For the past 2 nights, we've been telling you all about 45 year-old Yuanran Zheng. He's the Chinese National who traveled to Belize on Sunday, and less than 24 hours later, he tried to apply for a social security card using a fake Belize nationality certificate.
The vigilant staff at social security noticed that his nationality document looked suspicious. They alerted the Immigration Department, and a few hours later, Zheng was charged with immigration offences.
He and his translator have since pleaded guilty to those offenses, but that's far from the end of his problems in Belize.
This morning he was arraigned for social security offenses in the Belmopan Magistrate's Court.
7News was there:
Daniel Ortiz reporting
After being arraigned for immigration offenses yesterday, 45 year-old Yuanran Zheng went back to Magistrate's Court this morning for a third charge.
This time, he's being accused of violating the Social Security Act, because he brought in a fake nationality certificate and tried to apply for a social security card through fraudulent means.
Zheng, a resident of Shanghai, China, started having legal troubles in Belize starting on Monday, when he first arrived at the Belmopan Social Security office, to apply for the card.
Dr. Colin Young - CEO, SSB
"The Gentleman did come into the office and presented his nationality certificate, along with his Chinese passport, to apply for a social security card. Upon examination, of the Nationality Certificate. The staff realized that there were some inconsistencies on the nationality certificate, especially since there is a new one with security features that is the current nationality certificate. Based on that, internally, there were a number procedure that were undertaken that eventually led to the detention of Mr. Zheng and Mr. Lin."
Supt. Alejandro Cowo, CIB - Belize City
"They were detained they were charged for some offences by immigration they went to the court an they pleaded guilty yesterday. They were fined a thousand plus 5 dollars cost of court, and today's date, social security is to lay charges on them for a matter relating to social security."
The Translator was not charged with the social security offense, but Zheng was. He was arraigned once again before Magistrate Ladonna John in Belmopan today. This time around, however he pleaded not guilty. Through his translator, he asserted that he did not know that this nationality document was a forgery. He also claimed to be a victim in this instance. But, as far as the state is aware, he has no ties to Belize, since this is his first visit here from China. That, from the prosecution's perspective, makes him a flight risk, and so, he was remanded to the Belize Central Prison.
Dr. Colin Young
"Today, in fact, we went to court, where under the Social Security Act, section 53, 2f, essentially, which is dealing with the false documents, he was taken to court. My understanding is that Mr. Zheng pleaded not guilty. He was detained until December 19."
"The penalties for this offense is both a monetary fine, or jail time, or both. If my memory serves me right, it's a fine not to exceed a thousand dollars, and imprisonment not to exceed 12 months, or a combination of both."
Police are investigating whether Zheng's attempt to get a Social Security card through forgery is an isolated incident, or if his case is part of a bigger hustling operation, which was set up outside of the Immigration Department to mass-produce fake Belizean documents. At this time, the cops are investigating Zheng's Taiwanese Belizean translator who showed up with him on Monday.
The cops confirmed that they searched his Camalote home and found certain documents.
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Is major crimes investigating it as part of a wider ring of immigration fraud?"
ASP Alejandro Cowo
"Yes, the police is doing a part of the investigation, the immigration department is dealing with that internally and also social security. It's the three agencies combined together, working to see from where the certificate was obtained and to the point it reached social security, and the police is going, dealing with the investigative matter in regards to the fraudulent document."
Jules Vasquez
"Now, there is another person involved who is a translator, he is from Camalote village, a Taiwanese Belizean. I understand. His name is?"
ASP Alejandro Cowo
"Mr. Lin."
Jules Vasquez
"Yes."
ASP Alejandro Cowo
"An additional house search was conducted at Mr, Lin's residence where other copies of documents were rotund at this residence so police is looking into that to see what other charges can be levied against him."
Jules Vasquez
"Are you able to say if these appear to be immigration documents and, ah, are they being looked at if those are also fraudulent?"
ASP Alejandro Cowo
"Well, it is copies of documents."
Reporter
"Are those documents only for him for other individuals?"
ASP Alejandro Cowo
"It was in the name of another person. It's like a copy, like a sample of a social security card."
Reporter
"Asian National as well?"
ASP Alejandro Cowo
"Chinese National."
In this specific case, it was Social Security Board staff who first determined that fraud and forgery was afoot. The CEO says that he is confident that they will be able to maintain that type of vigilance.
Dr. Colin Young - CEO, SSB
"We have internal procedures, in terms of what we do when we find instances such as this. In some cases, we always communicate with the Immigration Department and the police, where we feel that there is criminal intent. In every instance, however, the Social Security Board will act, and will continue to act. We feel that because the social security card is a gateway to getting a passport that the integrity of that process has to be as strong as possible, and that is why we spend a quite a bit of effort and time to ensure that it is a process with all the checks and balances. In some cases, the people who come in, for a social security card are frustrated by the process. But, it is a necessary process that we take very seriously, and we will continue to take seriously."
"I feel comfortable that my staff, they're well-trained, and they know what to look for."
So, at the arraignment, he pleaded not guilty and was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until December 19. But, before the police could start making the arrangements to send him up to the Central Prison, his attorney requested that he be given another hearing before Magistrate Ladonna John.
He then went before the Magistrate a second time today, and he changed his plea from not guilty to guilty.
After Magistrate John accepted the new plea, she fined him $800 dollars. He paid that fine, and according to reports, he remains in custody because the Immigration Department plans to give him an Order to Leave, or an "OTL" - which will see him sent out of the country.
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