The president of a Chinese honey company has pleaded guilty in Chicago to conspiring to illegally import honey into the United States.

The plea Thursday by 60-year-old Yong Xiang Yan is part of a case that has cast a spotlight on so-called "honey-laundering," the importation of falsely labeled honey.

Yan pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy to illegally smuggle 15 container loads of Chinese honey, and in doing so avoiding U.S. anti-dumping duties of approximately $635,515.

Yan also acknowledged he authorized an additional 21 shipments of Chinese honey through the Philippines and Thailand, avoiding $3.3 million in anti-dumping fees.