Chinatown, San Francisco. Photograph by bluewaikiki
A Chinese mafia boss has been accused of bribing a US senator to secure favours.
Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow is alleged to have contributed thousands of dollars to the campaign coffers of San Francisco state senator Leland Yee as he prepared to run for the position of California secretary of state.
Investigators claim that Chow is the “dragonhead” or boss of the Ghee Kung Tong triad, one of the largest Chinese organised crime syndicates in the US.
Chow had previously been sentenced to 25 years in prison for gun charges for his role in the Wo Hop To triad and admitted to running prostitution rings, smuggling drugs, and extorting business owners. However, he managed to secure an early release and during his parole returned to Chinatown ostensibly to help disadvantaged youths.
It is during this period that investigators claim he also rose to become head of the Ghee Kung Tong, where he ran a money laundering operation.
This information arose out of the investigation into sentor Yee, who has been charged with wire fraud, bribery, and conspiracy to import and deal firearms without a license.
Yee has denied all charges and Chow has declined to enter a plea.