Chinese billionaire Hui Qin sentenced to jail by US court, taken to undisclosed location

Chinese billionaireHui Qin, whopleaded guiltyto funnelling illegal straw donations topoliticians’campaigns in the United States,was sentenced to prison for seven months and quickly left the country as part of his deal with prosecutors to forfeit his green card.

Qin, 56, a Chinese film magnate, appeared in a federal court inCentral Islip, New York, and was awarded the prison sentence.

Qin'slawyerHenryMazureksaidthat his clientlater wastaken to an airport and boarded a plane to an undisclosed location.“I have no doubts that he will soon regain prominence in international business, and he has a good future ahead of him,”Mazurek told the Associated Press news agency.

Qin had been in a jail in Brooklyn since his arrest in October last year.

The crimes

In March, Qin pleaded guilty toillegally making campaign contributions in the names of others, immigration fraud and production of a false identification document. The Chinese billionaireadmitted using his fortune to recruit and reimburse people who made political donations on his behalf.

Federal prosecutors never named the politicians whose campaigns received the straw donations. They pointed out that the straw donors contributed about $11,600 to the campaigns onQin’sbehalf without thecampaigns’knowledge.

In a statement, US attorney BreonPeace'soffice said,"Qin’sbrazen flouting of our political and immigration systems, and his defrauding government agencies resulted in a felony conviction, prison sentence and today, his removal from the United States."

Qinwas includedon the Forbes list ofbillionaires

The 56-year-oldwas previously includedon theForbes list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of$1.8 billion from his stake in film and entertainment companies.Citing campaign finance records, the Associated Press report said thatQin donated $2,000 to the campaign of EricAdams, the current New York mayor, in March 2021.

Under thecity’scampaign finance rules, green card holders can contribute to races and participate in thecity’sgenerous matching funds programme, which caps donations at $2,100.

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A lawyer for the mayor said his client had no knowledge of the scheme.

Nine months after the donation to Adams, federal prosecutors said Qin began working“to find individuals to make more than $10,000 in straw donor contributions”to a New York City candidate whowas not identified.

Prosecutors added that at least one persondonated $1,000 onQin’sbehalf on December9.The following day, the billionaire spoke with an unnamed co-conspirator, who told him they expected to be able to obtain up to $20,000 in straw donor contributions for the candidate.

(With inputs from agencies)