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Visa Mill Promoters Drop $760K on Key Republicans and NY Governor Andrew Cuomo

by Dahn Shaulis (dahneshaulis [at] gmail.com)
According to Federal Election Commission records, two members of Thompson Education Center, a proposed visa mill in New York State, have spent at least $710,000 for the 2017-2018 election cycle, all on Republican efforts.

Is the China City/Thompson Education Center project a threat to US security or a business scam? Possibly both.
According to Federal Election Commission records, two individual members of Thompson Education Center have spent at least $710,000 for the 2017-2018 election cycle, all on Republican efforts.

Backers of Thompson Education Center, Lianbo Wang and Sherry Li, have already donated at least $600,00 to the Trump Victory fund. They also donated $55,000 to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2014.

Thompson Education Center (TEC) is a project, backed by Chinese-American investors, to create a private college in New York state. The school would house up to 2500 students, presumably Chinese nationals seeking US visas.

Information about the school is sketchy. Press releases from 2016 and 2017 stated that TEC would build a nursing school, a culinary center, and a conservatory for film and tv.

In 2013, the original $6 billion China City project was supposed to include a Chinese theme park, two hotels, a Chinese cultural museum, and a casino. But public opposition has resulted in a more modest plan that remains mostly on the drawing board.

Is the China City/Thompson Education Center project a threat to US security or a business scam? Possibly both.


Buying Political Influence

FEC documents show that Sherry Li and Lianbo Wang have made major contributions to Donald Trump, the Republican National Committee, and key Republicans.

Trying to Follow the Money

Not much is known about Li or Wang, but a brief article revealing their political donations and activities appeared in the Daily Best last year. Apparently, their Oyster Bay Long Island residence has also been the headquarters for the United Nations Mao Zedong Foundation and several other businesses.

Securities and Exchange Commission documents show transfer of ownership from Chinese corporations to the US and other business dealings, but the origins of Sherry Li's wealth are cloudy.

Preliminary research results in many more questions: about the citizenship status of Lianbo "Mike" Wang, capital flow from China through the 15 China City businesses, the tax status and detailed plans of the Thompson Education Center, and their possible ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
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