China may extradite bailed millionaire

A millionaire businessman with political connections may be returned to China before he can be tried in New Zealand on multiple charges of immigration fraud.

Yong Ming Yan, who is also known as Bill Liu, Yang Liu and William Yan, was arrested by police at Auckland Airport last month as he tried to leave the country.

Yan was granted New Zealand citizenship in controversial circumstances after Government ministers ignored advice from officials.

He has yet to enter a plea to 12 charges relating to alleged false declarations, having false passports and using deception to gain citizenship.

Police declined to confirm or deny an intention to extradite Yan but the Herald understands that discussions between New Zealand and China about returning him to his country of birth are advanced and remain a priority.

He was arrested and immigration charges that were prepared months ago were laid because police feared Yan was in the process of fleeing.

Yan was about to board a flight to Korea when arrested on June 27.

Two Auckland properties owned by Yan, an apartment in the Metropolis tower and a waterfront home on the North Shore, were both sold on January 12 for $10.5 million. However, Yan is still living in the Metropolis tower.

Yan became a New Zealand citizen under the name Yang Liu, but changed his name days later and was granted a passport in the name of William Yan. It was this passport he presented at Auckland Airport.

Passports he held in two other names were earlier seized by investigators.

Yan is wanted in China on allegations of multimillion-dollar fraud and of stealing the name of a Yang Liu by falsely registering his birth before fleeing China.

In 2006, Australian authorities "repatriated" to the Chinese Government A$3.37 million ($4.14 million) seized from bank accounts Yan controlled but which were in the name Yang Liu.

Yan, who agreed to the forfeit of money without admitting liability, was later granted New Zealand citizenship in the name of Yang Liu.

Yan claims that both Yong Ming Yan and Yang Liu are his legitimate names because he was adopted and both names were registered.

His citizenship bid was supported by his friend Dover Samuels, who was a Labour MP at the time - and by current MPs Chris Carter (Labour) and Pansy Wong (National).

Rick Barker, the Internal Affairs Minister charged with approving citizenship applications at the time, was among politicians who knew Yan. Because of this he delegated the responsibility to another minister, Shane Jones, who granted Yan citizenship against the advice of Internal Affairs officials.

Police opposed Yan's bail application but Judge Gus Andree Wiltens approved it, setting strict residency, curfew and reporting conditions.

* Man of many names

Born: Yong Ming Yan.
Known as: Bill Liu.
Citizenship as: Yang Liu.
Changed to: William Yan.
Charged as: Yong Ming Yan.