WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged a California lawyer on Tuesday with defrauding people who signed up for an immigrant investor program aimed at creating jobs for Americans.
Emilio Francisco raised $72 million from investors in China, the SEC said in a statement. He and his marketing firm, PDC Capital, "diverted investor funds from one project to another and outright stole at least $9.6 million that was used to finance Francisco’s own businesses and luxury lifestyle," it said.
The EB-5 immigrant investor program allows foreigners to apply to permanently live and work in the states by investing money in certain projects that create U.S. jobs, it said.