Real Estate
Developer Pleads Guilty To Illegal Political Campaign Donations
Prosecutors say Samuel Leung paid over $600,000 in illegal campaign donations to politicians in control of zoning rules.
LOS ANGELES, CA — A Los Angeles real estate developer pleaded guilty Thursday to illegally donating over $600,000 to political campaigns in the city. Samuel Leung, whose $72 million apartment complex was approved by City Council in 2015, was sentenced to 500 hours of community service and five years of formal probation.
Leung will also be forced to deposit $2.5 million in an escrow account, where it will remain until the city's ethics commission determines the final amount owed.
According to the complaint, Leung and his secretary Sofia David maid payments to political candidates, re-election campaigns, political action committees and office holder accounts. Prosecutors said recipients of Leung's donations included current Council members Joe Buscaino, Gil Cedillo and Nury Martinez, and then-Council woman Janice Hahn, now a county supervisor.
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Prosecutors also said payments were sent to former council member Jose Huizar, who was charged this year with bribery, honest services fraud, and money laundering in a 34-count indictment.
According to the complaint, Leung and David "caused multiple individuals working for Leung, along with Leung's business partners, Leung's relatives and relatives of Leung's employees and business partners, to make campaign contributions to Los Angeles area politicians with the power and ability to change zoning rules, specifically an industrially-zoned property located at 1311 W. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, which Leung wished to develop into an apartment complex."
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The complaint also accused the two of using fake names, as well as a co-worker's identity without her knowledge, to make campaign contributions to politicians "who had the power to vote on zoning rules affecting property he owned."
In February 2015, City Council approved Leung's 352-unit Sea Breeze project after overruling planning commission officials and changing zoning rules.
The 61-year-old David, who faces the same charge is currently a fugitive according to the District Attorney's Office.
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