TWENTY-THREE Chinese nationals have filed a $13.4 million lawsuit in the New York State Supreme Court against the developers of a proposed casino resort in Tinian, alleging fraud and other misconduct.
The plaintiffs, members of the American Northern Marianas Economic Development Fund LLC, accuse the defendants of breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, conversion, legal malpractice, and unjust enrichment. They are represented by attorney Justin M. Sher of Sher Tremonte LLP.
Named in the 81-page complaint filed in July 2025, are Xianjun Meng, managing director of the American Northern Marianas Regional Center or ANMRC and CEO of Bridge Investment Group LLC; his wife, Silvia Siu, also known as Xiao Bing; and two New York attorneys, Jin An and Samuel Newbold. Meng and Siu, who reside in New York, are also principals of Canbo International Group Ltd., a Hong Kong-based immigration consultancy.
(Bridge Investment Group LLC — not to be confused with Bridge Capital LLC — is an entirely separate entity with no affiliation.)
The plaintiffs claim they were misled into investing nearly $12.1 million, plus hundreds of thousands in fees, based on promises that their funds would support the development of a 300-room luxury casino resort on Tinian, qualifying them for EB-5 investor visas. Despite a decade passing, the lawsuit states, no casino or hotel has been built, and none of the investors have received visas.
The proposed Tinian Ocean View Resort and Casino was pitched as a solution to the island’s underdeveloped tourism sector, promising jobs and economic growth. ANMRC’s 2014 business plan submitted to USCIS described a 385,000-square-foot casino, a 150-room six-star luxury hotel, a 150-room mid-range hotel, high-end retail and dining, convention space, spa facilities, and a ferry service. The luxury hotel was dubbed the “Titanic Hotel,” featuring a cruise ship-inspired design.
The Fund was formed in May 2014 to raise capital for BIG. According to the complaint, Meng and Siu solicited investors through Canbo using aggressive marketing, including social media, brochures, and in-person meetings. Each Class B Unit required a $500,000 investment, a $45,000 administrative fee, and a $10,000 legal fee, allegedly paid to U.S. immigration attorneys.
Once an investor’s I-526 petition was approved, the Fund would lend the money to BIG for project development. However, the lawsuit alleges that Canbo’s promotional materials contained false claims, including guarantees of fast visa approvals and misleading photos posted on WeChat.
On Aug. 21, 2023, Canbo abruptly shut down a group chat, citing privacy concerns. The lawsuit claims the move was likely in response to USCIS notices warning of plans to revoke previously approved I-526 petitions.
The complaint further alleges that Canbo misrepresented the project’s EB-5 status, potential profits, and job creation metrics. It claims the gambling license was never pledged as collateral, project valuations were inflated, and the developers lacked access to bank loans or refinancing.
The lawsuit states the job creation model used to secure EB-5 approval was flawed, noting the limited number of U.S. citizens on Tinian and reliance on imported construction materials, which undermined indirect job creation.
In total, the Fund loaned approximately $64 million to BIG. The lawsuit alleges this was done without a signed loan agreement or repayment commitment, and that Canbo recruited immigration attorneys to support the scheme.
