Reuters has a report on a bizarre scam being operated by a Chinese man in El Monte. He raked in something like $120,000 telling immigrants that they could get citizenship by joining a special unit of the Army that he commanded. He even paraded them around in uniform (if anyone has pictures of this, please send them our way). Here is an excerpt from the article:
A Chinese man was arrested on Tuesday for creating a fake U.S. Army unit and selling immigrants on the idea that joining the squad was a path to citizenship, authorities said.
Yupeng Deng, 51, allegedly gave his "recruits" military uniforms, had them parade in a Los Angeles suburb and took them to the decommissioned USS Midway aircraft carrier, which is a museum in San Diego.
Deng charged more than 100 fellow Chinese nationals a fee of between $300 and $450 to join the fake Army unit, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office.
He called his bogus squad the U.S. Army/Military Special Forces Reserve unit, or MSFR for short, and he gave himself the lofty title of "supreme commander," prosecutors said.
Aside from telling recruits that belonging to the unit was a path to U.S. citizenship, Deng also urged them to pay him cash for higher military rank, according to prosecutors.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from L.A. TACO
Juárez-Style Burritos Have Arrived in Southern California, And They are Already Selling Out In Less than An Hour
The month-old strip mall taquería in Anaheim make all their flour tortillas from scratch using both lard and butter, resulting in an extremely tender vehicle for their juicy guisados like carne en su jugo, carne deshebrada, chile colorado, chile relleno, and chicharrón. Every tortilla is cooked to order, too.
Urgent: L.A. TACO Falling Short of Fundraising Goals and Needs Your Support
Emergency. This is not a test. This is not a ruse. This is not a marketing scheme. We need your support if we're going to make it and every single membership counts.
What To Eat In L.A. This Weekend: Mexican-Style Pastrami, ‘Trashburgers,’ and Flamin’ Jim Morrisons
Plus, a new shawarma spot in Tarzana and the country's first wine festival dedicated solely to orange "skin contact" wine happening in Hollywood.
The 11 Best Backyard Restaurants in Los Angeles
Despite many requests to publish this guide, L.A. TACO has been somewhat protective of these gems to not "burn out the spots." However, we wanted to share it with our small, loyal pool of paid members, as we appreciate your support (and know you to be okay, non-NARCs). Please enjoy responsibly and keep these 'hood secrets...secrets.
Here’s What an L.A. TACO Membership Gets You and Why You Should Support Local Journalism
With more than 30 members-only perks at the best L.A. restaurants, breweries, and dispensaries waiting to be unlocked, the L.A. TACO membership pays for itself!
