Victorville refunds $500K to EB-5 investor

18个投资者等待市政府对项目终止的申诉。

维克多维尔市VICTORVILLE • 该市同意退给一名亚洲投资者50万美元贷款给该市EB-5项目的资金 – 该市的EB-5项目被联邦政府终止

该市刚刚通过决定，要花5万美元打终止官司，该市准备使用EB-5的钱来融资污水处理厂改建。

同时，市长Mayor Ryan McEachron说该市决定返还一个贷款，以避免着急上火的投资者控告他们（ the city decided to refund that one loan to avoid a lawsuit from the uneasy investor）

时间表

Timeline: 该市的EB-5 计划

• July 1997 — The federal government grants CMB Export an EB-5 Regional Center designation for Southern California Logistics Airport, allowing the company to solicit foreign citizens willing to loan $500,000 toward qualified projects in exchange for U.S green cards.

• April 2008 — Former Councilman Terry Caldwell, former City Manager Jon Roberts and Inland Energy President William Buck Johns travel to Asia with CMB to recruit 200 investors, confident the city will line up $100 million to kick off development at SCLA.

• August 2008 — Roberts announces the city has decided not to partner with CMB and instead to seek an EB-5 Regional Center designation on its own with help from Inland Energy.

• September 2008 — CMB files a $33 million claim against the city for fraud, breach of contract and more, which the city denies.

• July 2009 — The Department of Homeland Security grants Victorville its own EB-5 Regional Center designation.

• August 2009 — City signs an exclusive agreement with Inland Energy to market the program and begin raising funds, approving $778,372 in expenses to set up its EB-5 Regional Center.

• April 2010 — City settles suit with CMB for $200,000, plus $400,000 for its own legal fees.

• May 2010 — USCIS issues its first notice of intent to terminate Victorville’s program.

• June 2010 — City sends lengthy response to USCIS, defending its program.

• August 2010 — USCIS sends second notice of intent to terminate the Regional Center.

• September 2010 — Victorville sends response to second notice and continues accepting EB-5 loans.

• October 2010 — USCIS officially terminates the city’s program.

• November 2010 — City files an appeal of the termination.

• December 2010 — USCIS requests more evidence from Victorville under a March 8 deadline.

• January 2011 — City Council quietly agrees to refund one investor’s $500,000 and to spend another $50,000 fighting the termination.