Singleton Schreiber Represents Former Shen Yun Dancers in Federal Forced Labor and Trafficking Lawsuit
Federal judge denied Shen Yun’s motion to dismiss, allowing the plaintiffs’ forced labor and trafficking claim to move forward
NEW YORK, NY — Singleton Schreiber is representing Zan Sun and Qing Ling Cheng, two former Shen Yun Performing Arts dancers who allege they were recruited as children into a forced labor and trafficking scheme run by the company and its founder, Hongzhi Li. They allege that for years they trained and toured under grueling conditions, isolated from their families and denied medical care for serious injuries, while Shen Yun built a multimillion-dollar global brand on their labor.
Sun and Cheng left their homes in New Zealand at ages 15 and 13 to train at Dragon Springs, the 400-acre compound in Cuddebackville, New York, that houses Shen Yun and its affiliated schools, Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and Fei Tian College. According to the complaint, they trained 12 to 15 hours a day, at least six days a week, and went on to perform in hundreds of shows around the world while generally being paid no more than $500 a month. Their passports were locked in a safe on a compound patrolled by armed guards, and their access to phones and the internet was severely restricted.
“Zan and Qing Ling were children when they arrived at Dragon Springs, and Shen Yun took years of their lives in exchange for pain, fear, and almost no pay,” said Rich Barker, partner at Singleton Schreiber. “They found the courage to come forward, and the court has made clear that their claims will move forward. We are proud to stand with Zan and Qing Ling and hold Shen Yun accountable.”
The complaint alleges that instructors beat students and forced their bodies into positions that caused serious injuries, then denied them medical care. Sun performed on a torn Achilles tendon without missing a show. Cheng’s left shoulder was permanently damaged after an instructor stretched her arm beyond its natural range of motion, and rather than arrange medical care, Li ordered the school’s principal to meditate with her. Both were told that leaving Shen Yun would bring death, damnation, or a fate worse than death.
On May 18, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ claims under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, including forced labor, trafficking, passport seizure, attempt, and conspiracy. The court rejected Shen Yun’s argument that the First Amendment’s ministerial exception shields it from the claims, finding that the alleged abuse, forced labor, and trafficking have nothing to do with matters of faith or church governance. The court also rejected the defendants’ attempt to compare the plaintiffs’ experiences to those of students at a boarding school or elite dance academy. The case is now proceeding to discovery.
The Singleton Schreiber team includes Rich Barker, Blake Milner, Alexandria Drake, Kristina Aiad-Toss, and Pilar Borneo. The case is Sun v. Shen Yun Performing Arts, Inc., Case No. 7:25-cv-03185, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
About Singleton Schreiber
Singleton Schreiber is a client-centered law firm, focusing on mass torts/multi-district litigation, fire litigation, personal injury/wrongful death, civil rights, environmental law, insurance bad faith, tribal law, and sex abuse/trafficking. Home to the nation’s largest fire litigation practice, the firm has represented over 30,000 wildfire and explosion victims caused by utilities, government negligence, railroads, and corporate misconduct. Its nationally recognized team has played a leading role in high-profile cases including the 2025 Eaton Fire, 2025 Moss Landing Battery Fire, 2025 Esparto Fireworks Explosion, 2023 Maui Fires, and is also actively litigating wildfire cases throughout New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oregon, and Washington. They are also pursuing groundbreaking litigation against Tesla for misrepresenting their autopilot system, which recently resulted in a historic verdict. Additionally, the firm advocates for survivors of abuse involving hotel chains in California and Washington. With deep experience in complex claims, the firm is committed to helping individuals, families, and communities recover and rebuild.
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