Fung Tied to Chinese Billionaire Who Pleaded Guilty to Federal Election Crimes
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Chinese billionaire Hui Qin has pleaded guilty to federal election crimes, admitting that he made thousands of dollars in illegal contributions to New York and Rhode Island political candidates.
On Monday, in federal court in Central Islip, New York, Hui Qin, also known as “Qin Hui,” “Hui Quin,” “Muk Lam Li” and “Karl,” a citizen of the People’s Republic of China pleaded guilty to information charging him with making political contributions in the names of others, immigration fraud, and producing a false identification document.
Qin is listed on Forbes Magazine’s List of Billionaires and has operated SMI Culture, a Hong Kong-based movie studio.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAs part of his plea agreement, Qin agreed to abandon his status as a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States and to be removed to a country outside of the United States. When sentenced, Qin faces up to 27 years’ imprisonment. Qin has been incarcerated since his arrest on October 2, 2023.
In October of 2022, Qin donated $2,900 to then-Republican candidate Allan Fung for Rhode Island’s second Congressional district.
Fung is the former Mayor of Cranston and he also twice ran as the Republican candidate for governor, losing both times to former Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo in 2014 and 2018.
Fung did not respond to questions, but a spokesperson did.
“As the Department of Justice made crystal clear, we had no knowledge of this individual’s donor scheme, nor do we know him. Mayor Fung applauds the prosecution of bad actors in our election process,” said Chris Pack, a spokesman for Allan Fung.
Fung and the spokesperson refused to answer if the campaign donation would be returned or donated.
Other candidates receiving donations were Representative Andrew Garbarino of Long Island (R) and New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D).
“Qin pleaded guilty today to engaging in a brazen web of deception, spreading lies to federal election and immigration authorities and a state agency,” announced United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace. “Ensuring election integrity and rooting out campaign contribution fraud are priorities of the Department of Justice, including my Office. No one is above the law, no matter their wealth or station in society, and this Office will vigorously prosecute all criminals who lie to government agencies to further their own ends.”
“Today, Hui Qin pled guilty to several fraudulent schemes. Qin admitted to making straw donations to multiple elected officials at both federal and local levels. Qin’s guilty plea underscores the FBI’s commitment to ensuring integrity and transparency in campaign donations and election security. Any individual attempting to illegally influence our election process will be held accountable in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith.
“Qin is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, but made straw donations to major political campaigns, hiding the true source of the political contribution from the public,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Fattorusso. “Not only is this unethical, it’s illegal. Qin traveled to the United States, obtained a false visa, willfully violated our laws, then sought to conceal his behavior. IRS Criminal Investigation remains committed to using our expertise, working alongside our law enforcement partners, to detect and hold those accountable who believe rules of law simply do not apply to them.”
“Hui Qin's guilty plea underscores the federal law enforcement system's painstaking, methodical investigative capabilities when faced with a threat to our safety and democracy. Today and always, HSI New York stands united with our partners against any subjects in their attempts to jeopardize our national security," stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Keegan.
Additionally, as part of his plea, Qin admitted that, in April 2019, he filed a false application for LPR status with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. In the application, Qin falsely swore, under penalty of perjury, that he had never used another name. In fact, in 2008, a PRC government official provided Qin with the alias “Muk Lam Li” and between 2008 and the filing of Qin’s LPR application, Qin obtained identification documents, including a Hong Kong identification card, a PRC identification card and a Hong Kong passport in the name of the Li alias, which contained Qin’s photograph, but a date of birth different than Qin’s. Around September 2017, Qin used the Li alias to transfer more than $5 million from the PRC to a United States bank account, a portion of which was used to purchase a luxury Manhattan apartment where Qin resided.
This story was updated a 6:54 AM with a comment from Fung's spokesperson
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