# Honey Crook Indicted, Finally



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

From The Chicago Tribune


The business agent for several honey importers has been arrested on federal charges lodged in Chicago, alleging she conspired to illegally import Chinese honey, prosecutors said today.


Shu Bei âKathyâ Yuan, a Chinese national, was arrested Tuesday in Los Angeles and appeared in federal court in Los Angeles late Wednesday, prosecutors said in a news release.


Prosecutors allege that Yuan claimed the honey came from South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan rather than China to avoid paying higher import taxes.


Yuanâs indictment on charges of evading about $500,000 in import taxes on about $200,000 worth of honey is part of a larger probe into German-based Alfred L. Wolff, Inc., and related companies that began to result in indictments in 2009. A federal grand jury indicted 10 Wolff executives and five companies in an $80 million honey-import fraud scheme. So far, 20 people and companies have been charged in honey-related investigations, according to the release.


Yuan worked for Blue Action Enterprise, Inc., a California honey importer, and related companies, including the now-defunct 7 Tiger Enterprises, Inc., and Honey World Enterprises, Inc.


She worked with a man named Hung Ta âMichaelâ Fan, who owned the three companies, to bring the honey into the Unites States between March 2005 and June 2006. Fan pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to import Chinese honey illegally to skirt about $5 million in import duties. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison.


Yuan is alleged to have falsely declared that six shipments of Chinese honey came from South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Honey from those countries was not subject to "anti-dumping" duties at the time of the scheme, prosecutors said.


"The stability of our domestic honey industry is potentially threatened when importers illegally dump low-cost Chinese honey into the U.S. marketplace," Gary Hartwig, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special-agent-in-charge in Chicago, said in the release.


If convicted, Yuan could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the most serious charge against her.


 Al


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

alleyyooper said:


> âMichaelâ Fan, who owned the three companies, to bring the honey into the Unites States between March 2005 and June 2006. Fan pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to import Chinese honey illegally to skirt about $5 million in import duties. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
> 
> If convicted, Yuan could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the most serious charge against her.


IF she gets convicted. That's an awful big IF!

And Fan only got 2 1/2 years of prison - chances are he will be let out early for good behavior.

Our "justice" system does not hand out justice.


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## BjornBee (Jan 17, 2011)

Michael W. Smith said:


> IF she gets convicted. That's an awful big IF!
> 
> And Fan only got 2 1/2 years of prison - chances are he will be let out early for good behavior.
> 
> Our "justice" system does not hand out justice.


So what exactly does this white collar criminal deserve? 

How much of our tax money do you want to spend on this criminal act by keeping them in jail at $40,000 plus per year for every prisoner?

20 years....40 years.....Life in prison?

Should we institute punishment like in China where they would take them out back and just shoot them? Not for the crime, but for getting caught and ambarrassing the government?

What punishment would be justice for you?


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

Being that they are from China, I think their Passport and Green Card should be destroyed and they are put on the next boat to China. And never allowed back into our country.


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## BjornBee (Jan 17, 2011)

Michael W. Smith said:


> Being that they are from China, I think their Passport and Green Card should be destroyed and they are put on the next boat to China. And never allowed back into our country.


I could agree with that.


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## ChristopherReed (Jan 21, 2011)

BjornBee said:


> So what exactly does this white collar criminal deserve?
> 
> How much of our tax money do you want to spend on this criminal act by keeping them in jail at $40,000 plus per year for every prisoner?
> 
> ...



32cents, thats about what a 45acp round goes for


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## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

BjornBee said:


> So what exactly does this white collar criminal deserve?
> 
> How much of our tax money do you want to spend on this criminal act by keeping them in jail at $40,000 plus per year for every prisoner?
> 
> ...


*************************************************
that they 'cheated' on their tariff fees.......and while that part is true enough, it's what 
they aren't being charged with that should cause you and every other American consumer pause......

Those honeys that were being illegally imported are also potentially contaminated with 
chemicals that are dangerous to those who put them into their bodies. They are _*NOT*_ approved 
for use in the U.S. of A. or most other 'developed' countries; either for food or being used in the 
production of a food product......yet they are found in Chinese honey time and time again.
It's time to close the door on this scheme and the *ONLY* way to do so, is to either educate
the consumers or put a damper on those who would continue to perpetuate this dangerous game of 
"let's eat poison".....by putting them into prison and stopping the import of foreign honey.


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

So what exactly does this white collar criminal deserve? 

How much of our tax money do you want to spend on this criminal act by keeping them in jail at $40,000 plus per year for every prisoner?

then are you saying that when someone from another country commits a crime here all that should happen is they get deported ????


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## BjornBee (Jan 17, 2011)

tom j said:


> So what exactly does this white collar criminal deserve?
> 
> How much of our tax money do you want to spend on this criminal act by keeping them in jail at $40,000 plus per year for every prisoner?
> 
> then are you saying that when someone from another country commits a crime here all that should happen is they get deported ????


Who said that?

First.....I'm not saying that they should not serve time. I did say that I could live with them being exported and never allowed to do business in this country again. Agreeing with one punishment does not mean I could not agree with another. 

I also did ask, and nobody yet has answered, how much time should be given to fit some qualification of what "justice" is, or is not?

For me....knowing they have rung up a couple hundred thousand dollars in legal fees, their import/export license has been revoked, their businessses taken away from them, they have probably filed bankruptcy, and their ability to never do business in this country again, along with exporting them back to China....yeah, I could say lets save the tax payer the money from some jail time. 

Now if your going to do what copperkid did, and base your emotional response on what should happen and what the punishment should be based on "assumptions" that harm has come about or the honey being brought in was tainted...then the responses are going to be all over the place. But the person was not charged with harming anyone. Nobody got killed. Nobody got harmed by eating honey that never made it through customs.

I certainly do not want you guys sitting on any jury panel if I was ever on trial. Cause you guys see things way different than what the charges are, what they call for, and have added your own justice based on way more than the facts.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Wasn't meaning to turn this in to a huge P'ing match as to what the punishment should be myself.

Lots of folks read here about honey bees and dreaming of some day having their own. But buy honey for now.
My intent was to show that the very best place to buy honey is not your super market since the honey for the most part sold there is a blend from many places. 

If you have to buy honey go to a farmers market, a flea market or even go to the National Honey Board web site and use the locater to find a local bee keeper.
You can even google honey and find web sites of beekeepers who sell AMERICAN & CANADAIN honey.

 Al


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

>>I also did ask, and nobody yet has answered, how much time should be given to fit some qualification of what "justice" is, or is not?<<
I say they should get the same as you or me would get from doing the same thing . But most if they get deported for stuff like that sneak back in before the week is out ....


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## BjornBee (Jan 17, 2011)

alleyyooper said:


> Wasn't meaning to turn this in to a huge P'ing match as to what the punishment should be myself.
> 
> My intent was to show that the very best place to buy honey is not your super market since the honey for the most part sold there is a blend from many places.
> 
> Al


Ok...you got me. I didn't see anything from the original post indicating tainted honey, buying American, or any other honey issue.

I thought it was more about people not paying import taxes and fraud, and the punishment that followed.

While I agree with the whole "Buy Made in the USA" suggestion, I'm glad that was cleared up.

Although now I'm totally lost as usual when someone claims people are peeing on each other. Half the times these "claims" of peeing on each other are not warranted. If your not supposed to reply, offer rebuttals, and enter your thoughts as to the conversation, then this might as well be a blog. I like forums better when discussions are allowed to actually take place as if people were sitting around a table drinking beer.

Don't spill your own beer and then claim I pee'd on you....


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## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

BjornBee said:


> Who said that?
> 
> First.....I'm not saying that they should not serve time. I did say that I could live with them being exported and never allowed to do business in this country again. Agreeing with one punishment does not mean I could not agree with another.
> 
> ...


*******************************************************
as well as 'assumptions'.......while these particular defendants may (or may not have) been charged 
with tainted honey (the article doesn't state whether they were going to be charged with that offense; 
perhaps this is one of the gooberment's ways of cutting costs and raising fines by going after 
the easy charges?) it is very well documented that there are multiple cases of 'tainted' honey 
coming into this country......you actually believe it when they tell you that they are 'protecting' 
you and yours from poison getting into the food chain? The odds are in favor that some does 
get through and are on the shelves of groceries across the country; there aren't enough 
inspectors to prevent it from occurring.

*http://articles.cnn.com/2002-08-28/us/contaminated.honey_1_chinese-honey-antibiotic-fda?_s=PM:US*

*http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2010/06/fda_seizes_honey_from_china_ta.html*

*http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/201...ainted-with-antibiotic-seized-in-philadelphia*

*http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal...im-on-antibiotics-in-its-honey_100430114.html*

*http://articles.sfgate.com/2008-12-30/bay-area/17132908_1_honey-chloramphenicol-chinese*

You'll note, that this is just the tip of the iceberg; that the concern for honey contaminants has been 
on-going for at least the last 14+ years and that the Chinese gooberment assured ours, that 
they did _*NOT*_ allow tainted honey to leave their shores........yet strangely enough, 
it was still occurring towards the end of last year; with or without their assurances!!! 
I was only calling for appropriate prison sentences *BEFORE*, I'm now prepared to go one better 
and call for those who are caught attempting to poison our citizens, to be publicly beheaded 
as an example to all. Carry it_* LIVE*_ on multiple tv stations for maximum coverage; 
including those satellite networks that would carry into those countries where this tainted honey 
is coming from. Might make them think strongly about attempting such stuff in the future. That would be 'justice'.....


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## BjornBee (Jan 17, 2011)

copper,
It becomes emotional when you start adding your own thoughts, own speculation, own claims, and make the story into more than what it reads. You already did that. You also indicated your own emotions and feelings stating we have no justice in this country.

I'm not out to debate, and probably agree with much of what you said. But if you want to pick a fight and suggest that you had no emotions in your replies, I think you are wrong. Your complete response as well as mine are build, based, and filled with emotion. To suggest otherwise is wrong.

As for your links, it nice for others to read such things. If they are directed at me, you are preaching to the choir. I have done my own testing and very aware of tainted products coming into this country. Here is some samples of commercial pollen from China I paid for and tested just a couple years ago. Yes, the industry and government in my opinion swept it under the rug.

http://www.bjornapiaries.com/researchatbjorns.html

Not sure why your getting all emotional over this. I stated nothing but what was written and stated....and added my own thoughts. I do think I should be able to do this.


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## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

BjornBee said:


> copper,
> It becomes emotional when you start adding your own thoughts, own speculation, own claims, and make the story into more than what it reads. You already did that. You also indicated your own emotions and feelings stating we have no justice in this country.
> 
> I'm not out to debate, and probably agree with much of what you said. But if you want to pick a fight and suggest that you had no emotions in your replies, I think you are wrong. Your complete response as well as mine are build, based, and filled with emotion. To suggest otherwise is wrong.
> ...


***************************************************
I only disagree on the term used "emotional".....Stating truth, without citing a source would be emotional.....
which is why I came back with those hyperlinks.....there are many others _*NOT*_ cited and 
to believe that the gooberment is actually concerned about it's citizens (either China towards 
their or ours towards us) is akin to believing in the tooth fairy. The time for *****-footing around 
the subject is long past. Unless we *DEMAND* change from those entrusted with the 
public welfare; we are doomed as a nation. I'm reminded of a famous American patriot who 
voiced 'his opinion'; emotional? perhaps......but it had the needed impetus to turn the tide that 
needed turning. Patrick Henry was a statesman that didn't mince words......words that had 
to be spoken to have any effect on those who heard them. 
*
http://www.bartleby.com/268/8/13.html*

Not arguing your right to state anything factual; you have that right sir, in fact, I'm only surprised 
that you are so complacent about *NOT* stating the obvious. We must get the information
out there so the people can know what is (or is NOT) happening to their food supply. To do otherwise, 
in my estimation, is a crime against humanity.


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