Developer sentenced in José Huizar’s LA City Hall bribery scheme

Shen Zhen New World I receives maximum fine, probation as owner remains a fugitive

Former City Councilman José Huizar, Shenzhen New World's Wei Huang (Shenzhen New World Group, Getty)
Former City Councilman José Huizar, Shenzhen New World's Wei Huang (Shenzhen New World Group, Getty)

Real estate development company Shen Zhen New World I received a maximum penalty of $4 million and five years of probation on Friday for its role in the bribery scandal involving former L.A. City Councilman José Huizar.

Shen Zhen owner Wei Huang did not appear at an 11-day trial in November, when a jury found the company guilty of three counts of honest service wire fraud, four counts of interstate and foreign travel in aid of bribery and one count of bribery. Huang is currently a fugitive and believed to be living in China.

U.S. District Judge John Walter handed down the sentence. When a company is placed on probation, it must set up a compliance plan with the Department of Justice, said Ciaran McEvoy, a Justice Department spokesman. 

Sign Up for the undefined Newsletter

Between 2013 to 2018, Shen Zhen provided Huizar with bribes that financed gambling trips to Las Vegas where the former city councilman and his cohorts enjoyed expensive meals, spa treatments as well consorted with prostitutes. The company also provided $600,000 to help Huizar settle a sexual harassment trial.

In return, Huizar was expected to present motions and resolutions to benefit Shen Zhen’s redevelopment of L.A. Grand Hotel, as well as lobby city officials to give green lights to other Shen Zhen projects. 

Huizar was found guilty in January of one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of tax evasion. In September, the former city councilman is scheduled for sentencing. He has agreed to seek a sentence of no less than nine years in prison, according to a Justice Department announcement. 

Read more

Councilman Jose Huizar (Charlie Kaijo/CC BY 2.0/via Wikimedia Commons, Getty)
Politics
Los Angeles
Developer found guilty in LA City Hall bribery scheme
Jose Huizar (Getty)
Los Angeles
Former LA city councilman José Huizar to plead guilty to bribery and tax evasion
AIDS Healthcare Foundation's Jonathan Eisenberg (NBCLA, Getty, Works Progress Architecture)
Politics
Los Angeles
Lawsuit to overturn permits tied to Huizar appealed to state Supreme Court
Recommended For You