Former Liu Associates Sentenced For Campaign Fundraising Scheme
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - Two former aides to New York City Comptroller John Liu have been sentenced on campaign finance fraud convictions.
Federal Judge Richard Sullivan sentenced former Liu campaign treasurer Jia "Jenny'' Hou to 10 months in prison on Thursday. He said he hoped her May conviction for attempted wire fraud, obstructing justice and making false statements would not lead to her deportation. The Queens resident moved to the United States from China when she was 11.
She conceded she was too inexperienced when she accepted the job of treasurer in 2011 at age 24.
Former Liu Associates Sentenced For Campaign Fundraising Scheme
Her co-defendant - former fundraiser Xing "Oliver'' Wu Pan - was also sentenced Thursday to four months in prison and three years of probation. He was convicted of conspiracy and attempted wire fraud.
As WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported, Pan bowed solemnly in four directions before apologizing to the court for creating straw donors for the mayoral campaign of John Liu.
Pan admitted he did it for selfish reasons but instead said he destroyed his reputation overnight, Cornell reported.
"I brought shame on my community," said Pan.
Judge Sullivan noted that in some sense, an $8,400 fraud is a petty crime but said it was more about trying to influence an election.
"The damage is incalculable," Sullivan said.
Liu had sought to become the city's first Asian mayor but never cracked into the top tier of challengers during the Democratic primary.
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