Former L.A. City Councilman Jose Huizar headed to federal prison

Former Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison on corruption charges Friday morning.

Huizar, 55, pleaded guilty last year to taking $1.5 million in bribes from developers. He also cheated on his taxes, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The sentence was on the high end of what was likely given his plea deal.

“The deal calls for prosecutors to seek no more than 13 years in prison and Huizar to seek no less than nine years,” according to the Associated Press.

Huizar will also have to pay nearly $444,000 in restitution to the city of L.A,. and $39,000 to the IRS. He must surrender to authorities by April 30.

Prosecutors say Huizar’s pay-for-play scheme lasted from 2013 to 2017 and included “accepting cash, casino gambling chips, luxury stays in Las Vegas, expensive meals, prostitution services, political contributions and funds to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit,” the AP reports.

Huizar’s brother, Salvador Huizar, and eight other associates of the former councilman have also been convicted of or pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the scheme. Salvador Huizar is set to be sentenced on Aug. 2.

On of them, Bel Air developer Dae Yong Lee, also known as David Lee, was sentenced to six years in federal prison for bribing Huizar.

Lee also was fined $750,000 and his business, 940 Hill LLC, was fined $1.5 million and was placed on a five-year probation.

This indictment also included the following company and individuals, the DOJ said:

• Chinese billionaire Wei Huang, 58, a real estate developer who is charged with several felonies. He is a fugitive believed to be in China, the DOJ said.

• Huang’s company, Shen Zhen New World I LLC, a downtown Los Angeles-based company convicted – through the actions of Huang – of paying more than $1 million in bribes to Huizar, including a $600,000 sham loan to help cover up a sexual harassment allegation. The company was sentenced to five years of probation, fined $4 million and ordered to pay the costs of prosecution last year.

• Former L.A. Deputy Mayor Raymond She Wah Chan, 67, of Monterey Park, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, bribery, fraud and lying to federal agents. His retrial is scheduled to begin on March 12.

Several others are also defendants in related cases:

• Political fundraiser Justin Jangwoo Kim, 57, of Mar Vista, pleaded guilty in 2020 to bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 21.

• Lobbyist Morris Roland Goldman, 61, of Porter Ranch, pleaded guilty in 2020 to conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 12.

• Real estate development consultant George Chiang, 45, of Granada Hills, pleaded guilty in 2020 to racketeering conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 19.

• George Esparza, 37, of Boyle Heights, Huizar’s former special assistant, pleaded guilty in 2020 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26.

“This years-long investigation uncovered one of the most audacious public corruption cases in this city’s history,” said Donald Alway, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “…Mr. Huizar ignored the needs of his constituents and instead, served his own interests by accepting bribes and a wide assortment of luxury perks from wealthy real estate moguls and others who could afford Huizar’s political favors at the taxpayer’s expense. My hope is that this case brings more citizens forward to the FBI when they suspect corrupt practices and foreign influence.”

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