NEW YORK—City Comptroller John Liu finally returned city-matching funds to the city on Wednesday after initially stating several months ago that the funds had already been returned.
The New York Daily News initially questioned Liu about the fund return in October 2009, to which Liu responded, “That money has been returned.”
A follow-up inquiry led to a report from the City Campaign Finance Board that the city had not received such funds—totaling $4,845—from the Liu campaign.
The Daily News Editorial Board had called upon Liu during the campaign to return the funds to the city. The reason for this was because of a lack of a significant opposition candidate for the comptroller position.
After successfully wining the election in November 2009 and being sworn in on January 1, the funds had still not been returned.
The City Campaign Finance Board finally reported they received the check on Wednesday.
In September 2009, The Epoch Times reported that $70,000 of Liu’s campaign funds had come from the Fukien American Association, identified by experts on gangs as a “tong”—an organized crime syndicate—with connections to human trafficking and other organized crime sources.
The Fukien American Association, which donated money to Liu’s campaign, is also affiliated with the Fuk Ching gang, according to Dr. James O. Finckenauer at the National Institute for Justice, a branch of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Fuk Ching gang is known for its involvement in human trafficking.
The New York Daily News initially questioned Liu about the fund return in October 2009, to which Liu responded, “That money has been returned.”
A follow-up inquiry led to a report from the City Campaign Finance Board that the city had not received such funds—totaling $4,845—from the Liu campaign.
The Daily News Editorial Board had called upon Liu during the campaign to return the funds to the city. The reason for this was because of a lack of a significant opposition candidate for the comptroller position.
After successfully wining the election in November 2009 and being sworn in on January 1, the funds had still not been returned.
The City Campaign Finance Board finally reported they received the check on Wednesday.
Liu’s Questionable Campaign Finance Sources
In September 2009, The Epoch Times reported that $70,000 of Liu’s campaign funds had come from the Fukien American Association, identified by experts on gangs as a “tong”—an organized crime syndicate—with connections to human trafficking and other organized crime sources.
The Fukien American Association, which donated money to Liu’s campaign, is also affiliated with the Fuk Ching gang, according to Dr. James O. Finckenauer at the National Institute for Justice, a branch of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Fuk Ching gang is known for its involvement in human trafficking.
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