A real estate development consultant was sentenced on Tuesday, Nov. 5, to home detention and community service — but no prison time — for his role in the pay-to-play scheme at City Hall tied to now-imprisoned ex-City Councilman Jose Huizar’s approval of large building projects in downtown Los Angeles. George Chiang of Granada Hills was sentenced to 12 months’ home detention and 150 hours of community service as part of his three-year probationary sentence.
He was also ordered to pay the maximum fine of $250,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Chiang pleaded guilty in June 2020 to one federal count of conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization statute, which carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years behind bars. Because of his cooperation in the investigation, Chiang received a far lighter penalty, court papers show. A close political ally of Huizar, Chiang interfaced with Chinese companies that were developing real estate projects in Los Angeles and sought the councilman’s help.
Chiang helped orchestrate bribes for Huizar in order to win his support, federal prosecutors said. Chiang was the second defendant in the Huizar case to be sentenced this week. On Monday, longtime lobbyist and former City Hall official Morrie Goldman also dodged prison and was sentenced to six months’ home detention as part of his probationary sentence.
Goldman pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bribery and honest services mail fraud, and co.
