A Chinese billionaire pleaded guilty on Monday to an illegal straw donation scheme, according to a report. press release From the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Hui Ching, a Chinese national who runs an entertainment company based in Hong Kong, admitted to making about $11,600 in straw donations to political campaigns in New York and Rhode Island, according to the Justice Department.
“As stated in court filings and facts presented in judicial proceedings, Mr. “I have agreed to reimburse other individuals who have made contributions on my behalf to my campaign committee,” said a press release. is stated.
It claimed that the political activities to which Mr. Qin donated were unaware of his illegal activities. As a result, the Election Commission “unwittingly submits the file”[d] filed a false contribution report with the Federal Election Commission in 2022; ”
As part of his plea agreement, Qin admitted to submitting false information when applying for a green card in the United States in April 2019.
“In his application, Mr. Hata falsely swore under penalty of perjury that he had never used another name.In fact, in 2008, [People’s Republic of China] Government officials gave Qin the alias “Li Mulin,” and between 2008 and Qin’s LPR application, Mr. Obtained identification documents such as The alias included a photo of Mr. Qin, but his date of birth was different from Mr. Qin,” the station reported.
The 56-year-old businessman also pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining a Florida driver’s license while living in New York. Mr. Qin submitted “fake bank account and credit card statements,” including a “fake Miami address.”
“As part of the plea agreement, Mr. Qin agreed to renounce his status as a Lawful Permanent Resident (“LPR”) of the United States and be transferred to a country outside the United States. If sentenced, Mr. Hata faces up to 27 years in prison. Mr. Hata has been imprisoned since his arrest on October 2, 2023,” the Justice Department reported.
If Hata complies with the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will ask the judge to sentence him to up to six months in prison. After serving his sentence, Mr. Hata will be forced to leave the country.
Mr. Qin’s lawyer, Henry Mazurek, told the Times: “Mr. Qin is pleased to be able to conclude this case and looks forward to re-establishing his business career outside the United States.”
This was revealed by a person familiar with the incident. new york times Mr. Hata reportedly donated to New York Mayor Eric Adams (Democratic), Congressman Andrew Garbarino (Republican), and former Rhode Island Mayor Alan Fung (Republican). The Times said Mr. Qin had hidden illegal donations from political activities.
Mr. Huang and Mr. Garbarino did not respond to requests for comment from the Times.
Vito Pitta, an attorney for Adams in the 2021 mayoral race, told the news outlet, “As the federal government revealed today, the campaign had no knowledge of the straw donation plan. None of the members have been indicted or charged.” Any wrongdoing. ”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating Adams’ campaign for allegedly receiving illegal foreign donations from the Turkish government. times Reported in November. As a result of the investigation, law enforcement searched the home of Brianna Suggs, Adams’ top fundraiser. Mr Adams claimed he had “no knowledge” of the companies that allegedly donated funds illegally.
Earlier this month, the FBI also raided the home of Winnie Greco, Adams’ Asia director and former fundraiser. The reason for the raid is unclear, but officials said it was unrelated to the investigation into foreign donations. Associated Press. Greco was accused of using his government position for personal gain. A spokesperson for Adams denied the allegations.
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