FBI investigating fire at UES hotel where Chinese language billionaire arrested

So we begin this afternoon with breaking news on the Upper East Side a suspicious fire broke out inside the Sherry Netherland hotel and now investigators are looking into if it's linked to the arrest of an exile Chinese businessman and good afternoon I'm David Navarro I'm Sam from Bookman and today for Liz those Flames broke out this afternoon while.

FBI agents were inside the 32 million dollar apartment but Longing To Go Juan guay the Exile Chinese billionaire with business ties to Steve Bannon was arrested and charged this morning in an ongoing investigation into fraud and money laundering the fire is now under control but sources tell ABC News the apartment w as significantly damaged by.

The Flames eyewitness news reporter Joe Torres live on the upper east side with the breaking details Joe David it's Andrew here's what you have you have an afternoon fire inside a luxurious Manhattan hotel in Residence and that is preceded hours earlier by the morning arrest of a Chinese businessman that is yes accused of Fraud.

And conspiracy both of those happening in the very same location now at this hour authorities have not connected the two officially but there certainly are many unanswered questions the two alarm fire broke out shortly afternoon on the 18th floor of the Sherry Netherland Hotel more specifically inside a 15-room penthouse.

Apparently owned by wealthy exiled Chinese businessman guo wengie what started the fire remains unclear and firefighters on the scene would not categorize it as suspicious there were no injuries but just six hours earlier federal agents took guwenji into custody at the luxury residence it was those very same agents who later reported the.

Fire and had to evacuate the agents arrested the Chinese billionaire on fraud and money laundering charges following a lengthy investigation that accuses him of a one billion dollar fraud conspiracy the FDNY had the fire under control of 145. there was plain not flame smoke coming from the very very top you could see it from the back.

Side and then your fire department which is incredible blocked all of Madison Avenue and then I don't know the next street up they also blocked that street as well you could smell you could actually smell that there was smoke right now our Fire Marshals are on the scene investigating the cause and origin of this fire.

And we'll probably be at this operation quite some time will be an extended operation extended operation traffic is absolutely snarled outside the Sherry Netherland Hotel the plaza all along Fifth Avenue as you head into Midtown Fire Marshals are still on the scene here the chief the fire chief very cautious in his.

Comments to reporters today making a concerted effort not to reveal too too much as for the FBI no comment from them as to whether they think the arrest and the fire are linked

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