Fargo’s Giant Panda Owner Sentenced in Federal Case
Cass County ( trfnews.i234.me ) – A longtime Fargo restaurant owner has been sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to harboring undocumented workers. The case has placed the future of the Giant Panda, a Chinese restaurant operating for more than 30 years, in jeopardy.
Court records show Ming Sun Cheung, 66, pleaded guilty on Monday, Sept. 15, to a single federal charge of harboring workers who were not authorized to live or work in the United States. Prosecutors said Homeland Security Investigations agents detained several undocumented workers in April. Cheung admitted to providing them with housing and transportation to the restaurant.
Cheung, a naturalized U.S. citizen since 2015, addressed the court through a Mandarin interpreter. “I didn’t know the U.S. law, but now I know the law. I plead guilty,” she told Judge Daniel Hovland. She also noted that Giant Panda’s revenues dropped from $150,000 to $40,000 after the investigation began, forcing the restaurant to operate on a limited buffet-only basis.
Government prosecutors and Cheung’s attorney recommended two years’ probation and a $15,000 fine, citing a similar 2020 case involving Mango’s Mexican restaurant. Hovland accepted probation but lowered the fine to $5,000, citing Cheung’s age, financial stress, and pending immigration proceedings involving her husband. He acknowledged the restaurant is expected to close based on information in the pre-sentence investigation.
Cheung faced up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine under federal statutes. But sentencing guidelines, factoring in her lack of prior criminal history, set the range at zero to six months. Prosecutors said Cheung had already “corrected her criminal behavior” but emphasized the importance of following federal employment laws to protect both businesses and workers.
Defense attorney Jeffrey Sprout argued that Cheung had accepted responsibility and cooperated fully with the investigation. “At a time when immigrants are being vilified, my client is a success story and a benefit to the community,” Sprout said.
U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of North Dakota provides information on federal prosecutions, including workplace-related cases.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News
Fargo’s Giant Panda Owner Sentenced in Federal Case