Mohammed Nuru drank $10K booze in China in SF bribery scheme

Former San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru had lifted a glass of $10,000-a-bottle booze with developer Zhang Li. 

In exchange, Nuru would be sentenced to seven years in federal prison for bribery and Zhang Li would fly in last week to agree to pay a $50,000 fine related to a kickback scheme to expedite a mixed-use market and condominium project at 555 Fulton Street.

In newly released court documents, prosecutors point to how lavishly the billionaire doted on Nuru, the San Francisco Standard reported.

They also reveal how other San Francisco power players, including an unidentified former mayor and the director of its Department of Building Inspections, cozied up to the tycoon.

In November 2018, Nuru flew to China to join Zhang at his home and resort. They were joined by an unidentified head of state.

“The night that we were at his house, the drinks that we drank … that bottle was worth $10,000,” Nuru allegedly said during a recorded call to his girlfriend, who also worked for the city and later pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering. The drink was 50-year-old Maotai, a Chinese liquor, Nuru explained.

The billionaire allegedly also gave the public works chief artistic stones. 

“I don’t know how much they’re worth. … I shipped them you know. … They’re tons of money,” Nuru allegedly said on the call.

Nuru allegedly explained that he was friends with one of the richest men in China, whom he met through Walter Wong, a local businessman and permit expediter who allegedly played a central role in numerous corruption schemes. 

Wong, whom Zhang hired to advise on his San Francisco real estate project, had reimbursed Nuru for his plane ticket to China, prosecutors allege.

“He’s a very nice guy,” Nuru allegedly said about Zhang during the call. “We’re helping him, I’m helping him with a project here, San Francisco. So whenever he comes, I always go see him.”

Tom Hui was the Department of Building Inspections director who would resign in 2020 over accusations he provided preferential treatment to Wong’s clients. A San Francisco Controller’s Office report later concluded that Hui met with Zhang three or four times in 2019 to discuss 555 Fulton, gave Wong special access to city information and accepted multiple meals.

After the China trip, Nuru attended to issues related to the Fulton Street project at Zhang’s request.

“I will make sure we get this issue resolved this week,” Nuru told Zhang on an encrypted messaging app.

“Thank you very much Bro!” Zhang allegedly replied.

Last week, Zhang admitted to bribing Nuru with food, drinks and more. Prosecutors agreed to drop a charge of conspiracy to commit wire services fraud in three years if Zhang acknowledged the crime and paid the fine. His Foster City-based Z&L Properties will pay a $1 million fine.

Zhang, co-founder and owner of Guangzhou-based R&F Properties, is worth $1.5 billion while company assets top $53 billion, according to Forbes.

— Dana Bartholomew

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