Naperville man lied about Chinese Communist Party membership

A west suburban Naperville man admitted in federal court Tuesday that he lied to a U.S. Immigration officer in 2006 about his former membership with the Chinese Communist Party.

Lu Lin, 59, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to an immigration officer, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s office. He admitted that he lied so that he would be granted U.S. citizenship.

According to the plea deal, Lin reported on his application for naturalized citizenship that he had never used another name or been a member of the Chinese Communist Party. He also lied about his name and former membership under oath in an interview with officials in the Chicago office of the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Lin had been a member of the Chinese Communist Party from 1987 to 1997 and had received a document identifying him as Yeung Yung, prosecutors said.

The conviction is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, prosecutors said.