On Friday, August 22nd, in the Southern District of New York Federal Court, sentencing trial was held for Chen Yiyi, the marketing manager of Amarvel Biotech, a company based in Hubei, China. She was charged with involvement in the large-scale illegal transportation of fentanyl precursor chemicals to the United States and providing false testimonies during the trial. Ultimately, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison. This case is considered a landmark in the U.S. efforts to combat the supply chain of fentanyl from China.
Chen Yiyi appeared in court that day wearing a khaki-colored prison uniform, with long hair down to her shoulders. Before the verdict was announced, she briefly glanced back at the gallery. The four-hour-long court trial saw intense debates between the judge and the prosecution and defense on whether the sentence should be enhanced.
According to court documents, since 2022, Chen Yiyi and her company boss Wang Qing had established a website and a cross-border logistics network to distribute large quantities of fentanyl precursor chemicals to distributors in the United States and Mexico. Chen Yiyi was responsible for website registration, promotion, customer liaison translation, and had repeatedly promised undercover agents to provide “100% discreet packaging,” such as disguising the chemicals as dog food, nuts, or motor oil for transportation.
The prosecution pointed out that within just three months, the company imported enough precursor chemicals into the United States to produce lethal doses of fentanyl. If the final product had entered the market, it would have posed a great threat to public safety.
The prosecution requested an 18-year prison sentence for Chen Yiyi, while the defense suggested only 30 months, hoping for her early return to China. After weighing the arguments, the judge ultimately sentenced her to 15 years in prison.
During the trial, the defense emphasized Chen Yiyi’s “human side.” Lawyer Shaoming Cheng visited Wuhan twice to investigate, stating in court that Chen’s mother blamed herself for persuading her daughter to return to China for work, which led to her imprisonment. Both parents have been emotionally and physically affected and hope for their daughter’s early return.
Testimonies from colleagues and friends also depicted Chen Yiyi’s side of “caring for others”: she served as a volunteer teacher after the Yunnan earthquake in 2008 and participated in the “Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association.” While pursuing a master’s degree in Italy, her thesis focused on elderly care in China, hoping to contribute to related industries in the future.
Prior to sentencing, Chen Yiyi submitted a 14-page handwritten letter to the court, reflecting on her two years at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. In the letter, she detailed her experiences during the pandemic, time spent with family, pets, her love for travel and cultural exchange, and her personal growth through education and art programs while in prison.
She mentioned earning dozens of certificates, including courses from Columbia University, participating in Shakespearean plays, launching Chinese language teaching programs, and choosing “hope” to sustain her faith in adversity.
However, her letter did not mention fentanyl or reflect on her role in the case but focused on her own learning and life planning.
Before sentencing, the judge asked Chen Yiyi twice if she had a final statement. She simply replied in English, “No.” The judge pointed out that although she had been exemplary during her time at the Metropolitan Detention Center, even initiating a Chinese language course, she had shown no concern for the deaths caused by fentanyl in the United States.
Following the sentencing recommendation and court trial, defense counsel, citing China’s “Century of Humiliation,” explained some of Chen Yiyi’s business behaviors. They believed that historical foreign invasions on China had instilled resentment in some Chinese businesspersons towards foreigners. The defense also mentioned China’s culture of “face-saving and networking,” leading to a tendency to avoid direct conflicts with foreigners.
However, the prosecution viewed these explanations not as cultural differences but as a lack of remorse.
Assistant Prosecutor Kevin T. Sullivan emphasized the absence of an extradition treaty between the U.S. and China, making it challenging to prosecute similar cases. Therefore, this judgment must send a strong message: “If anyone transports fentanyl precursors to the U.S., American law will sanction you.”
The international media also paid attention to this trial. The “Nikkei Business Daily” dispatched two journalists to observe. They mentioned tracking the case since earlier reports and expressed particular interest in another Chinese businessman, Xia Fengzhi, involved in the case while operating in Japan.
According to the Nikkei journalists, Xia Fengzhi had established FIRSKY Corporation in Nagoya, suspected of having personnel and capital connections with Amarvel Biotech in Hubei. Nagoya was believed to be an underground transit point connecting China, Mexico, and the U.S. The DEA was investigating this Chinese fentanyl smuggling group operating in Japan, targeting their operational hubs, smuggling routes, and masterminds.
Chen Yiyi’s defense lawyer mentioned during the sentencing statement that Xia Fengzhi controlled multiple companies, including Wuhan Yingbang Medical Ltd., Ross Technology, Frisky, and Amarvel Biotech Hubei, some of which shared office spaces.
Apart from the Japanese media, two mysterious Chinese individuals claiming to be “friends of the accused” were present in the gallery, taking notes but not interacting. Earlier reports mentioned Chinese consulate staff present during the jury selection phase, trying to request a meeting with the accused.
The Inner City Press, specialized in court news coverage, pointed out: “As early as June 28 last year, Ms. Chen’s lawyer asked Judge Gaddis: ‘I have talked to representatives of the Chinese consulate. They are in court today. They want to know if the court and the marshals would agree to a brief, non-contact meeting with Ms. Chen and the co-defendant (Wang Qing).”
After the trial concluded yesterday, Chen’s lawyer stated that they would file an appeal.