Sherry Xue Li was sentenced to 108 months in prison after being convicted of running a decade‑long scheme that raised over $30 million from investors for a fictitious development project. The DOJ said Li also sold foreign nationals false promises of lawful permanent residency and misused funds to funnel contributions into U.S. political events.

A federal judge sentenced Sherry Xue Li of Oyster Bay to 108 months in prison after a jury convicted her of money‑laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to defraud the United States in a long‑running investment fraud scheme that raised more than $30 million. According to prosecutors, Li solicited investments for a purported development project that never existed, providing false documentation and assurances while diverting investor funds to personal uses and to influence U.S. political events. The case also involved immigration‑related fraud, with prosecutors saying Li marketed opportunities to foreign nationals promising lawful permanent residency tied to the fictitious project. The Department of Justice highlighted the dual harms of the scheme: significant investor losses and corruption of campaign finance rules through illicitly routed contributions. Sentencing followed extensive investigation and convictions that relied on financial records, witness testimony and forensic accounting to trace the movement of funds. The DOJ stated the penalty reflects both the scale of victim harm and the aggravating conduct of exploiting immigration hopes and political processes to further the scheme.