Things are getting sticky for a 40-year-old honey import executive.
Hung Ta Fan, who also goes by Michael Fan, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to avoid more than $5 million in U.S. anti-dumping duties.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement alleges Fan imported Chinese honey and then falsely identified it as coming from South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and India.
Fan owns several California-based import companies, including Honey World Enterprise.
Fan admitted that between 2005 and 2006 he conspired to illegally import 98 shipments of Chinese honey to avoid paying duties.
In a plea deal, he also admitted that in 2009 he conspired to fraudulently import about $8 million of honey that was diluted and blended with artificial sugar.
