California State Senator Leland Yee and 28 Codefendants Officially Indicted on Federal Corruption Charges

On April 4th, a federal grand jury officially indicted 29 suspects, including the now notorious California state senator Leland Yee, on federal corruption charges.

Yee was arrested by the FBI on March 26th after a five-year federal investigation into potential campaign corruption. According to the 137-page federal indictment, Yee has been accused of wire fraud for accepting bribes from undercover agents in an attempt to sway legislation, including medical marijuana legislation. In one instance, which was caught on tape, Yee accepted a $10,000 bribe, and attempted to get more money from the undercover federal agent, saying he had campaign debts to pay off.

The former state senator has also been accused of gun running, although he has always been pro-gun control legislation. Yee’s gun trafficking went through notorious San Francisco Chinatown gangster Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow, who is a codefendant.

The grand jury indictment means that Yee and his codefendants will not be entitled to a preliminary hearing, in which testimony would lead the judge to determine if there was enough evidence for a trial.

Yee appeared in court once already, in which his bond was set at $500,000. Although his lawyer had announced that the former Democratic senator would plead not guilty, Yee did not enter a plea regarding the federal corruption charges at that time. He will reappear in federal court on Tuesday, April 8th, to officially enter a plea.

If convicted for the federal corruption and gun trafficking charges, Yee faces over 100 years in prison and fines over $1 million.

Federal Corruption Charges in South Carolina

Our firm provides extensive experience representing clients in major criminal cases and investigations involving wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and RICO violations. While we strive to resolve matters discreetly through aggressive negotiation, our fraud attorneys will not hesitate to take your case to trial.

The federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and similar state racketeering laws give the government a tremendous amount of power to go after those accused of racketeering. RICO charges involve the operation of an illegal business or enterprise, including a fraudulent scams, for an individual or entity’s personal profit.

Federal bank fraud cases can also center on the wiring of money or information used to deceive individuals, businesses, or customers. Transferring money to an offshore or international bank may be legitimate and legal transactions; however, tranferring money to an offshore or international bank account to hide a crime can lead to serious federal criminal charges.

Our federal corruption and criminal defense lawyers handle cases involving:

• Fraudulent insurance claims
• Bond issuances and investment schemes
• Falsifying loan applications
• Check fraud schemes
• Bribes or kickbacks
• False advertising or misrepresentation in sales transactions
• Murder or murder-for-hire,
• the transportation and distribution of drugs,
• gambling,
• embezzlement,
• extortion,
• theft/armed robbery,
• money laundering, and
• bribery
• Other RICO violations

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Federal Corruption Charges

Being arrested or investigated for federal corruption charges, including bribery, wire fraud, and extortion, can be very stressful. However, just because you are under a great deal of pressure does not mean that you are automatically guilty, or that you have no rights in court. For experienced RICO and federal criminal charges defense attorneys who will fight for your rights and work to have your charges reduced or even dismissed, contact the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, today. We offer free, confidential consultations so that you can discuss the facts of your case with impunity, in a safe environment. Do not hesitate to contact us. 803.252.4800.