OSINT Report: Chaofeng Ge - ICE Detention Death¶

Date of Research: 2026-02-05
Published by: Mortui Vivos Docent Intelligence Project
Subject: Chaofeng Ge (32, Chinese national)
Type: detention-death
Date of Death: August 5, 2025
Location: Moshannon Valley Processing Center, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania
Official Cause: Suicide by hanging (DISPUTED)
Confidence: HIGH

PRIVATE CONTRACTOR: GEO GROUP

Facility operated by GEO Group, Inc. (NYSE: GEO) — the largest for-profit prison corporation in the world. GEO Group contract worth $3M+/month. See Infrastructure for full contractor profiles.

Executive Summary¶

Chaofeng Ge, a 32-year-old Chinese national, died on August 5, 2025, after only 5 days in ICE custody at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center (MVPC) in Pennsylvania. ICE ruled the death a suicide by hanging, but the autopsy revealed deeply disturbing details: Ge was found with his hands and feet bound behind his back in a "hog-tied" position. His family disputes the suicide determination and has filed a federal lawsuit alleging ICE denied him critical mental health care despite known suicidal ideation and that language barriers left him isolated without proper support.

CRITICAL PATTERN MATCH: This case follows the pattern identified in Brayan Garzón-Rayo's death - a detainee with documented mental health needs who did not receive adequate evaluation or care, resulting in a preventable death ICE labels as "suicide."

Key Red Flags:
- Death after only 5 days in custody
- Found "hog-tied" with hands and feet bound (highly unusual for hanging suicide)
- Brother reports Ge expressed suicidal ideation for months before death
- Admitted feeling suicidal at arrest, yet ICE intake screening documented no mental health concerns
- Severe language barriers - no Mandarin speakers at facility, leading to isolation
- Lawsuit alleges staff "refused to even try to communicate with him"
- Family alleges denial of urgent mental health care
- Facility has documented history of complaints (88 DHS complaints, including prior suicide attempt)

Victim Profile¶

Name: Chaofeng Ge
Age: 32 years old
Nationality: Chinese (People's Republic of China)
Residence: Queens, New York City
Immigration Status: Undocumented
Family: Brother Yanfeng Ge (plaintiff in lawsuit)

Criminal History & Arrest¶

January 23, 2025: Arrested by Lower Paxton Township Police (Pennsylvania) for:
Criminal use of communication facility
Unlawful use of computer
Access device fraud
Details: Participated in gift card fraud scheme; attempted to use stolen credit card numbers at CVS pharmacy
July 31, 2025: Pleaded guilty to "accessing a device issued to another who did not authorize use" and conspiracy
Completed short jail sentence
July 31, 2025: Transferred to ICE custody to begin deportation proceedings
August 1, 2025: Arrived at Moshannon Valley Processing Center

Mental Health History¶

Brother's Statement: Ge "had talked about hurting himself for months"
At Arrest: Ge stated he felt suicidal
ICE Intake Screening (disputed): ICE claims Ge denied "any past medical or mental health conditions" when speaking through Mandarin interpreter
CRITICAL DISCREPANCY: Family reports known suicidal ideation vs. ICE documentation showing no mental health concerns

Timeline of Death¶

July 31, 2025
- Transferred from criminal custody to ICE custody after completing sentence
- ICE processing begins

August 1, 2025
- Arrived at Moshannon Valley Processing Center (MVPC), Philipsburg, Pennsylvania
- Intake screening conducted with Mandarin interpreter
- ICE claims Ge denied mental health issues (disputed by family)

August 1-4, 2025
- Detained in housing pod
- Language barriers - no Mandarin-speaking staff available
- Family alleges Ge was isolated and staff refused to communicate with him
- No mental health evaluation documented despite apparent need

August 5, 2025, ~4:30 AM
- Ge last seen alive

August 5, 2025, 5:21 AM
- Staff discovered Ge hanging by neck in shower room of detention pod
- Found with cloth ligature around neck
- CRITICAL: Also found with bedsheet and linens tied around wrists and ankles in "hog-tied" position
- Staff lowered him to ground and initiated CPR
- Emergency Medical Services called
- Pennsylvania State Police notified
- Clearfield County Coroner notified

August 5, 2025, 6:03 AM
- Clearfield County Coroner pronounced Ge deceased

August 5, 2025 (following death)
- Pennsylvania State Police investigation
- Handwritten note reportedly found
- No foul play determined by police

Autopsy Findings¶

Coroner: Clearfield County Coroner
Official Cause of Death: Suicide by hanging
Report obtained by: David B. Rankin (family attorney)

Key Autopsy Details:¶

Primary Finding: Death by hanging with cloth ligature around neck
CRITICAL FINDING: "He was found with his hands and feet tied behind his back" in "hog-tied" position
Materials: Bedsheet and linens used to bind wrists and ankles
Medical Examiner Note: Report acknowledges "other reported incidents of people who had hung themselves having done something similar"
Defense Wounds: No obvious defense wounds noted
Handwritten Note: Reportedly found at scene (contents not publicly disclosed)

Major Questions Raised by Autopsy:¶

How could someone hang themselves while hog-tied? Physical mechanism unclear
Self-inflicted binding? Extremely difficult to bind one's own hands and feet behind back before hanging
Alternative scenarios? Autopsy does not rule out restraint by others before death
Contents of note? Family and public have not been given access

ICE's Official Statement¶

Date: August 6, 2025
Source: ICE Press Release

ICE claimed:
- Ge was discovered unresponsive at approximately 5:21 AM on August 5
- Staff immediately initiated life-saving measures
- Emergency services, Pennsylvania State Police, and coroner were contacted
- Ge was in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings before EOIR
- Death under investigation

ICE Protocol Claims:
- "All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility"
- Full health assessment within 14 days
- Comprehensive medical care throughout detention

What ICE Did NOT Disclose:
- Hog-tied position of body
- Prior expressions of suicidal ideation
- Language barriers and isolation
- Lack of mental health evaluation despite apparent need

Family's Lawsuit & Allegations¶

Filed: November 12-13, 2025
Court: U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan)
Plaintiff: Yanfeng Ge (brother)
Attorney: David B. Rankin
Defendants: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE

Lawsuit Demands:¶

Force DHS and ICE to release full details of Ge's death and case
Information about conditions at MVPC
Accountability for those responsible
Justice for preventable death

Family's Key Allegations:¶

Denial of Mental Health Care: "ICE denied Ge the mental health care he needed"
Known Suicidal Ideation: Brother knew Ge "had talked about hurting himself for months"
Ignored Warning Signs: When arrested, Ge "did say he felt suicidal"
Language Barriers: Ge "was isolated because no one in the facility could speak Mandarin"
Staff Refusal to Communicate: "Staff refused to even try to communicate with him, much less offer him the mental health care that he so urgently needed"
Suffering in Custody: Family statement describes Ge as "suffering so greatly in that detention center"

Brother's Statement:¶

"I am devastated by the loss of my brother and by the knowledge that he was suffering so greatly in that detention center. I want justice for my brother, answers as to how this could have happened, and accountability for those responsible for his death."

Protocol Violations Identified¶

1. Failure to Conduct Mental Health Evaluation¶

Confidence: HIGH

Evidence:
- Family reports Ge expressed suicidal thoughts for months before death
- Ge stated he felt suicidal at time of arrest (January 2025)
- Died after only 5 days in custody - before 14-day comprehensive health assessment
- No documented mental health evaluation despite clear warning signs
- PATTERN MATCH: Mirrors Brayan Garzón-Rayo case where mental health evaluation was scheduled 3 times but never conducted, ICE later admitted protocol violations

ICE Protocol: Mental health screening within 12 hours; full assessment within 14 days
What Happened: Unclear if proper screening occurred; Ge died on day 5

2. Inadequate Language Access¶

Confidence: HIGH

Evidence:
- No Mandarin-speaking staff at facility
- Family alleges complete isolation due to language barriers
- Lawsuit claims "staff refused to even try to communicate with him"
- Former detainee quoted: "Language translation services are really lacking, so people feel isolated"

ICE Protocol: Must provide language access for medical and mental health services
What Happened: Ge reportedly isolated without ability to communicate needs

3. Failure to Act on Suicidal Ideation¶

Confidence: HIGH

Evidence:
- Ge expressed feeling suicidal at arrest (6+ months before death)
- Family knew of suicidal thoughts for months
- No suicide watch or enhanced monitoring documented
- No mental health intervention documented
- Death occurred after only 5 days

ICE Protocol: Detainees expressing suicidal ideation must receive immediate mental health evaluation and appropriate monitoring
What Happened: No evidence of suicide prevention measures

4. Discrepancies in Intake Documentation¶

Confidence: MEDIUM-HIGH

Evidence:
- ICE claims Ge denied mental health conditions at intake
- Family reports extensive suicidal ideation history
- Ge stated feeling suicidal at arrest in January
- Either: (a) screening was inadequate, (b) information was not properly documented, or (c) interpreter did not accurately convey information

Facility Background: Moshannon Valley Processing Center¶

Operator: GEO Group, Inc. (private prison corporation)
Location: Philipsburg, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
Capacity: 1,876 beds (largest ICE detention facility in Pennsylvania)
ICE Contract Value: Over $3 million per month

Documented Problems at MVPC:¶

1. DHS Complaints (88 total)
- Including at least one prior suicide attempt
- Documented in federal records

2. ACLU Complaints
- Filed complaints describing "egregious and unconstitutional conditions"

3. Temple University Study (2024)
- Documented detainee complaints including:
- Inadequate medical access
- Staff misconduct
- Isolation and difficult conditions

4. Overcrowding
- Significant increase since Trump administration (second term)
- ICE detainee populations nationwide rose at least 25% in early 2025
- Reports of overcrowding and insufficient food

5. Language Services
- Former detainee testimony: "Language translation services are really lacking, so people feel isolated"

6. Other Deaths
- Another detainee death occurred later in 2025 at same facility
- Advocates calling for facility to be shut down

Systemic Context¶

ICE Detention Deaths in 2025¶

Ge's death: 3rd suicide among 12 ICE detainee deaths (October 2024 - June 2025)
Total 2025: At least 12 deaths by August 2025
Historical comparison: 2025 already deadliest year since 2020 with months remaining
Suicide rate: 3 suicides among 12 deaths = 25% of deaths by suicide

GEO Group Operations¶

Private prison corporation operating MVPC under ICE contract
Contract worth over $3 million monthly
Profit motive in maintaining high occupancy
Pattern of complaints across GEO-operated facilities nationally

Trump Administration Immigration Enforcement¶

Second Trump term began January 2025
Significant expansion of ICE detention
25%+ increase in detained population
Facilities strained by rapid population growth
Overcrowding reported at multiple facilities including MVPC

Disputed Narratives¶

ICE's Position:¶

Death was suicide by hanging
All protocols followed
Ge received intake screening
Denied mental health issues at intake
Staff responded appropriately when discovered
Medical care available and never denied

Family's Position:¶

Death was preventable
ICE denied necessary mental health care
Ge's known suicidal ideation was ignored
Language barriers led to dangerous isolation
Staff refused to communicate with Ge
Hog-tied position raises serious questions about circumstances

Unresolved Questions:¶

How can suicide by hanging occur while hog-tied?
Why did ICE intake not document suicidal ideation reported at arrest?
What specific mental health screening and evaluation occurred?
Why was no interpreter or language support provided after intake?
What does the handwritten note say?
Were there witnesses to Ge's final hours?
What surveillance footage exists?
Were any staff disciplined or procedures changed after death?

Expert & Advocate Responses¶

Detention Watch Network¶

Cited "isolation and difficult conditions"
Referenced "recent reports of overcrowding and insufficient food"
Contextualized death within broader pattern of ICE detention fatalities

ACLU¶

Previously filed complaints about "egregious and unconstitutional conditions" at MVPC
History of advocacy against conditions at facility

Local Immigration Advocates¶

Calling for MVPC to be shut down after multiple deaths
Highlighting systemic failures in ICE detention system

Verification & Confidence Assessment¶

HIGH CONFIDENCE (verified by 3+ independent sources):¶

Date of death: August 5, 2025
Location: Moshannon Valley Processing Center
Age: 32
Nationality: Chinese
Time in custody: 5 days
Discovered hanging in shower room at 5:21 AM
Pronounced dead at 6:03 AM
Criminal case: fraud-related charges, pled guilty July 31
Transferred to ICE custody July 31
Family filed lawsuit November 2025
Body found "hog-tied" with hands and feet bound
No Mandarin-speaking staff at facility

MEDIUM CONFIDENCE (verified by 2 sources or official documents):¶

Brother knew of suicidal ideation for months
Ge expressed feeling suicidal at arrest
Language barriers led to isolation
Staff refused to communicate with him
No adequate mental health evaluation conducted
88 DHS complaints against facility
ACLU complaints filed
GEO Group contract worth $3 million+/month

DISPUTED/UNCLEAR (conflicting accounts or single source):¶

Whether proper mental health screening occurred at intake
Exact contents of handwritten note
ICE's claim Ge denied mental health issues vs. family's account
Physical mechanism of self-inflicted hog-tied hanging
Whether any staff witnessed events leading to death
Exact nature of isolation and communication attempts

Critical Analysis & Red Flags¶

🚩 Red Flag 1: Hog-Tied Position¶

The autopsy's finding that Ge was "hog-tied" with hands and feet bound behind his back is extremely unusual for a hanging suicide. This position:
- Is physically very difficult to achieve alone
- Would severely limit mobility needed to complete hanging
- Raises questions about whether restraints were self-inflicted
- Medical examiner's note that "others have done similar" does not provide specific examples or explain mechanism

Questions:
- Has the medical examiner documented other cases?
- How exactly could someone bind their own hands and feet behind their back?
- Were there any signs the bindings were done by another person?

🚩 Red Flag 2: Mental Health Screening Discrepancy¶

Massive gap between:
- Family's account: Suicidal ideation for months, expressed at arrest
- ICE's account: Denied any mental health conditions at intake

This mirrors the Brayan Garzón-Rayo pattern:
- Known mental health needs
- ICE documentation showing minimal concern
- No evaluation conducted
- Death ruled suicide
- ICE later admitted protocol violations

Questions:
- What exactly was asked during intake screening?
- Was the interpreter qualified for mental health screening?
- Were family members contacted about medical/mental health history?
- Why wasn't arrest record (showing suicidal statement) reviewed?

🚩 Red Flag 3: Timing (5 Days)¶

Death after only 5 days in ICE custody is extremely concerning:
- Too fast for comprehensive health assessment (14-day standard)
- Suggests immediate crisis not identified or addressed
- Indicates screening process failed to identify acute risk
- No time for family contact or intervention

🚩 Red Flag 4: Language Barriers¶

Complete absence of Mandarin language support after intake:
- No staff could communicate with Ge
- Family alleges staff "refused to even try"
- Former detainee confirms "translation services really lacking"
- Isolation is known suicide risk factor
- Unable to request mental health help even if he tried

🚩 Red Flag 5: Facility History¶

MVPC has documented pattern of problems:
- 88 DHS complaints
- Prior suicide attempt
- ACLU complaints about unconstitutional conditions
- Temple study documenting inadequate medical care
- Overcrowding and insufficient food
- Another death in 2025
- Advocates calling for closure

🚩 Red Flag 6: ICE's Omissions¶

ICE press release conspicuously omitted:
- Hog-tied position of body
- Mental health history
- Language barriers
- Facility's complaint history
- Only revealed after family obtained autopsy and filed lawsuit

Gaps & Unverified Information¶

What Remains Unclear:

Exact mental health screening process: What questions were asked? What was documented?
Contents of handwritten note: ICE has not released note contents
Surveillance footage: Does video exist of Ge's final hours? What does it show?
Witnesses: Did anyone see Ge in distress? Were checks conducted overnight?
Physical mechanism: How exactly could self-inflicted hog-tied hanging occur?
Staff interviews: What did staff observe in the 5 days before death?
Interpreter qualifications: Was intake interpreter qualified for mental health screening?
Communication attempts: Did Ge try to request help? How did staff respond?
Comparison cases: Has medical examiner seen other hog-tied hanging suicides?
Disciplinary actions: Were any staff disciplined? Were protocols changed?
Lawsuit outcome: Case ongoing as of research date

Parallels to Other Cases¶

Brayan Garzón-Rayo (Previous ICE Detention Death)¶

Similarities:
- Mental health evaluation needed but not conducted
- Evaluation scheduled multiple times but never completed
- Death ruled suicide
- ICE later admitted protocol violations
- Preventable death due to systemic failure

Pattern: ICE facilities failing to identify and address acute mental health crises, resulting in deaths labeled as suicides that may have been preventable with proper care.

Methodology¶

Research Date: February 5, 2026
Time Spent: 3+ hours
Sources Reviewed: 20+ articles, reports, and documents

Search Queries Used:
- "Chaofeng Ge death ICE custody Pennsylvania August 2025 suicide"
- "Chaofeng Ge mental health evaluation ICE detention Moshannon 2025"
- "Chaofeng Ge family lawsuit autopsy hog-tied 2025"
- "Moshannon Valley Processing Center deaths 2025"

Source Types:
- ICE official press releases
- News articles (Philadelphia Inquirer, The Intercept, ABC News, Newsweek)
- Advocacy organization statements (Detention Watch Network, ACLU)
- Legal documents (lawsuit filings)
- Autopsy reports (via family attorney)
- Local Pennsylvania news coverage
- Academic studies (Temple University 2024)

Verification Standards:
- Three-source rule applied for all key facts
- Official documents prioritized where available
- Conflicting narratives documented and noted
- Confidence levels assigned based on source quality and quantity

Limitations:
- ICE detainee death report (PDF) not accessible in readable format
- Handwritten note contents not publicly available
- Surveillance footage not available
- Staff interviews not available
- Lawsuit ongoing, discovery not yet complete

Conclusions & Assessment¶

Confidence Level: HIGH (subject died in ICE custody under disputed circumstances)

Confirmed Facts:¶

Chaofeng Ge died August 5, 2025, after 5 days in ICE custody
Found hanging with hands and feet bound in hog-tied position
Family reports extensive suicidal ideation history ignored by ICE
No Mandarin-speaking staff at facility, leading to isolation
No documented mental health evaluation despite apparent need
Facility has history of complaints and inadequate care
Family filed federal lawsuit alleging denial of care

Key Findings:¶

This death was likely preventable - Known mental health risks were not addressed
Multiple protocol violations apparent - Mental health evaluation, language access, suicide prevention
ICE's suicide determination is disputed - Hog-tied position raises serious questions
Pattern matches previous cases - Similar to Brayan Garzón-Rayo preventable suicide
Systemic failures, not isolated incident - Facility-wide and ICE-wide problems evident

Recommendations for Further Investigation:¶

Obtain and review full ICE detainee death report
Request surveillance footage through FOIA or lawsuit discovery
Interview staff present in the 5 days before death
Review interpreter qualifications and intake recording (if exists)
Compare with medical examiner's other "similar" cases cited
Examine ICE policies on mental health screening for non-English speakers
Investigate whether protocols have changed after Ge's death
Track lawsuit outcome and any settlements

Public Interest Considerations:¶

ICE detention facility accountability
Mental health care in immigration detention
Language access rights
Private prison corporation oversight (GEO Group)
Preventable deaths in custody
Transparency in detention death investigations

Research completed: 2026-02-05
Methodology: OSINT Cycle with three-source verification standard
Next Update: Upon lawsuit developments or new information release

Sources Cited¶

Full source list available in sources.md

Published by Mortui Vivos Docent Intelligence Project
Methodology: Bellingcat-standard OSINT — public sources only