The South Dakota Democratic Party has hired a lawyer to pursue what they call the “cash for citizenship” scandal. That is in reference to the EB-5 situation where foreign citizens were able to get resident visas for a half million dollar investment in economic development. A large number of investors were involved in the failed Northern Beef Packing plant in Aberdeen.
Democratic Party Executive Director Zach Crago says state officials are not pursuing the case.
The democrats have hired Patrick Duffy of Rapid City to begin another investigation. He says there could be millions of dollars involved in fraud, which he says could potentially lead to criminal activity.
Duffy said they need help from inside state government to make any progress.
Northern State University was the location of the first economic development agency that used the EB5 program for investments.
