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JUSTICE - Raymond She Wah Chan, a former deputy mayor and long-time Los Angeles city official, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison today for his role in a widespread bribery and pay-to-play scheme involving more than $750,000 in bribes for himself and over $1 million in bribes to then-Los Angeles City Councilmember José Huizar. The scheme was part of a larger racketeering conspiracy that plagued the upper levels of Los Angeles city government.
At 68, Chan, a resident of Monterey Park, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered Chan to pay $752,457 in restitution to the City of Los Angeles.
A jury convicted Chan on 12 felony charges, including conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, multiple counts of honest services wire fraud, federal program bribery, and making false statements to federal investigators. The trial exposed how Chan used his influential public offices, including his tenure as General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) and later as Deputy Mayor of Economic Development, to orchestrate the bribery scheme.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada emphasized that Chan's actions undermined public trust, stating, “Chan abused his office for personal gain, deepening corruption at City Hall. Today’s sentence makes it clear that such schemes will not be tolerated.”
FBI Los Angeles Field Office’s Akil Davis added that the sentence serves as a reminder that those who rob communities of honest governance will face consequences.
The bribery scheme, known as the "CD-14 Enterprise," was orchestrated by Chan alongside Huizar, who represented the district during a downtown development boom. Chan leveraged his relationships with foreign developers and his influence in city government to secure nearly $2 million in bribes for himself, Huizar, and other officials. He played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the enterprise, facilitating bribes and manipulating the city approval process for large real estate projects.
Among the many acts of corruption, Chan established a secret business partnership with real estate consultant George Chiang, securing bribes from Chinese developer Shenzhen Hazens to advance the Luxe Hotel redevelopment project. In exchange for these bribes, Chan and Huizar pushed city approvals and ensured favorable outcomes for the developers.
In a particularly egregious act, Chan helped arrange a $600,000 bribe from billionaire developer Wei Huang to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit against Huizar, shielding the scandal from derailing Huizar's political career.
José Huizar was previously sentenced to 13 years in prison for his role in the scheme. Other developers and associates involved, including George Chiang and Dae Yong Lee, have faced convictions and sentencing as part of the sweeping investigation by the FBI and IRS into corruption at Los Angeles City Hall.
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