神韵艺术团遭美国刑事调查：签证欺诈、违反劳动法及涉嫌剥削

 神韵艺术团面临联邦调查：签证欺诈、违反劳动法及涉嫌剥削


该艺术团由法轮功宗教运动运营，去年曾因剥削年轻演员而接受调查。


作者：Stephi Wild


2025年2月6日



该艺术团由法轮功宗教运动运营，去年曾因剥削年轻演员而接受调查，他们被指控强迫演员长时间工作，却只支付极少甚至不支付报酬。


一名前演员已提起诉讼，指控该艺术团强迫劳动和贩卖人口。目前，有关部门正在调查该艺术团是否遵守了州劳动法。调查内容包括该艺术团的财务和用工情况，以及演员是否曾将现金走私入境美国。


神韵艺术团代表陈颖表示，该艺术团将“全力配合”任何调查，并将遵守“所有适用的法律”。


神韵舞蹈团在全球各地演出，传播法轮功的反共信息，以及法轮功创始人兼领袖李洪志的精神教义。李洪志同时也是神韵舞蹈团的训练负责人。法轮功总部位于纽约州卡德巴克维尔，设有寄宿学校和学院，供神韵的表演者居住和学习。


目前，警方正在进一步调查神韵的领导人是否为表演者安排恋爱关系。《纽约时报》8月份报道称，神韵的领导人曾试图安排外国学生与美国公民交往，以达到签证目的。据称，神韵的男女表演者被禁止在工作之外交谈，恋爱也需要得到神韵领导人的许可。


关于劳动法，神韵和法轮功的代表表示，州和联邦法律不适用于他们的学生表演者，因为他们是在接受学习机会，而不是作为雇员工作。该团体也会保管学生的护照以确保安全，但声明“如有需要，一定会归还护照”。


神韵艺术团截至2023年底的资产总额为2.66亿美元。其目前的世界巡演于去年12月开始，计划巡演五大洲，将于今年5月结束。

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Shen-Yun-Dance-Company-Under-Investigation-For-Visa-Fraud-Labor-Issues-and-More-20250206


Shen Yun Performing Arts Faces Federal Investigation: Visa Fraud, Labor Violations, and Alleged Exploitation

The group, run by the Falun Gong religious movement, was previously investigated last year for exploiting young performers.


By: Stephi Wild

Feb. 06, 2025



The group, run by the Falun Gong religious movement, was previously investigated last year for exploiting young performers by making them work long hours and paying them little to nothing.


A former performer has filed a lawsuit accusing the company of forced labor and human trafficking, and an inquiry has been made into whether the group has complied with state labor laws. Investigations are underway into the company's financial and labor practices, including whether performers smuggled cash into the United States.


Ying Chen, a representative for Shen Yun, said that the company intends to "cooperate fully" with any investigations and will comply with “all applicable laws.”


The Shen Yun dance group performs around the world delivering the anti-Communist message of Falun Gong,  as well as the spiritual teachings of Li Hongzhi, the religious movement’s founder and leader who also oversees the group's training. Falun Gong’s headquarters is located in Cuddebackville, N.Y., and it includes a boarding school and college where Shen Yun’s performers can live and study.


Further criminal inquiries are looking into whether the group's leaders arranged romantic relationships for its performers. The Times reported in August that Shen Yun’s leaders reportedly tried to set up foreign students with American citizens for visa purposes. Male and female performers in Shen Yun were allegedly not allowed to speak to one another outside of work purposes, and dating required permission from Shen Yun’s leaders.


Regarding the labor laws, representatives of Shen Yun and Falun Gong have said that state and federal laws do not apply to their student performers because they are receiving a learning opportunity, not working as employees. The group also holds on to students’ passports for safekeeping, but have stated that they "always return the passports when requested."


Shen Yun reported $266 million in assets at the end of 2023, and its current world tour began in December and is scheduled to travel to five continents, ending in May.


Read the original story on The New York Times. 


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