Sister Ping
Encyclopedia
Cheng Chui Ping also known as Sister Ping (萍姐 Píng Jiě), ran a notorious Chinese human smuggling operation primarily from her base in New York City
from 1984 until 2000, when she was arrested in Hong Kong
and subsequently extradited back to the United States
.
Individuals who conducted such Chinese alien smuggling operations are known as "snakeheads
". Almost all of the immigrants whom Sister Ping harbored came from the Fujian
province of China. Sister Ping was renowned as the most notorious snakehead operating the largest, most sophisticated operation of its kind, which became international in scale.
Sister Ping's smuggling operation was fraught with numerous problems, many of which made headlines. One such story involved a cargo ship named the Golden Venture
which ran aground off the beaches of Queens
, New York in June 1993. The Golden Venture had 286 would-be immigrants from China in its hold, all of whom had been traveling for months, many near starvation. Ten people drowned in the incident.
Sister Ping fled the United States in advance of an indictment in 1994. The FBI and INS
spent the following six years attempting to apprehend her, but she was believed to reside mainly in China, which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States. In 2000, she was arrested in Hong Kong, and eventually extradited to New York.
She was convicted in June 2005 after a jury trial before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
, on three separate counts, which included one count of conspiring to commit alien smuggling, hostage taking, money laundering
and trafficking in ransom
proceeds.
Sister Ping is currently serving a 35-year sentence
. She is currently incarcerated in Danbury, Connecticut (BOP #05117-055) and is due for release in 2040.
Sister Ping and the Golden Venture are the subject of Patrick Radden Keefe's 2009 book, The Snakehead.
The Snakehead is currently being developed into a motion picture for director Stephen Gaghan.
The Golden Venture disaster and the lives of some of the passengers are the subject of Peter Cohn's 2006 documentary "Golden Venture."
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 1984 until 2000, when she was arrested in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and subsequently extradited back to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Individuals who conducted such Chinese alien smuggling operations are known as "snakeheads
Snakehead (gang)
Snakeheads are Chinese gangs that smuggle people to other countries. They are found in the Fujian region of China and smuggle their customers into wealthier Western countries such as those in Western Europe, North America, Australia, and some nearby wealthier countries such as Taiwan and...
". Almost all of the immigrants whom Sister Ping harbored came from the Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
province of China. Sister Ping was renowned as the most notorious snakehead operating the largest, most sophisticated operation of its kind, which became international in scale.
Sister Ping's smuggling operation was fraught with numerous problems, many of which made headlines. One such story involved a cargo ship named the Golden Venture
Golden Venture
On June 6, 1993, at around 2 a.m., the Golden Venture — a ship bearing 286 illegal immigrants from China along with 13 crew members — ran aground on Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York after a mutiny by the smugglers. The ship had set sail from Thailand, stopped in Kenya and circled the...
which ran aground off the beaches of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York in June 1993. The Golden Venture had 286 would-be immigrants from China in its hold, all of whom had been traveling for months, many near starvation. Ten people drowned in the incident.
Sister Ping fled the United States in advance of an indictment in 1994. The FBI and INS
Immigration and Naturalization Service
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service , now referred to as Legacy INS, ceased to exist under that name on March 1, 2003, when most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly created Department of Homeland Security, as...
spent the following six years attempting to apprehend her, but she was believed to reside mainly in China, which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States. In 2000, she was arrested in Hong Kong, and eventually extradited to New York.
She was convicted in June 2005 after a jury trial before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
, on three separate counts, which included one count of conspiring to commit alien smuggling, hostage taking, money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
and trafficking in ransom
Ransom
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence...
proceeds.
Sister Ping is currently serving a 35-year sentence
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
. She is currently incarcerated in Danbury, Connecticut (BOP #05117-055) and is due for release in 2040.
Sister Ping and the Golden Venture are the subject of Patrick Radden Keefe's 2009 book, The Snakehead.
The Snakehead is currently being developed into a motion picture for director Stephen Gaghan.
The Golden Venture disaster and the lives of some of the passengers are the subject of Peter Cohn's 2006 documentary "Golden Venture."