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Lawyer Indicted On Witness Tampering In Birth Tourism Probe

SANTA ANA (AP) — An Orange County lawyer has been indicted after authorities say he tried to help a Chinese witness in a birth tourism probe flee the United States.

The U.S. Attorney's office says Ken Liang was indicted Wednesday in Santa Ana on charges of conspiracy and witness tampering.

Liang is scheduled to be arraigned June 22. Prosecutors say he could face up to 40 years in prison.

A message seeking comment was left for Liang's attorney James Riddet.

Authorities say Liang took $6,000 to help a court-designated witness leave for China without being detected by federal authorities.

The witness was designated in an ongoing federal probe of a business that authorities say helped pregnant Chinese women travel to California to give birth to American citizens.

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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