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World

Hong Kong-born ‘Shrimp boy’ ‘killed his way to top of Chinatown group in San Francisco’

Raymond Chow is accused of assassinating predecessor in 2006 before turning it into criminal group

FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2006 file photo, Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow smiles after being sworn in as the "Dragon Head" of the Chee Kung Tong in Chinatown in San Francisco. Chow, a central figure in a sweeping San Francisco organized crime and public corruption case, pleaded not guilty. The FBI spent many millions of dollars and used more than a dozen undercover operatives posing as honest businessmen and Mafia figures alike during its seven year organized crime investigation centered in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Now, an increasing number of the defendants caught up in the probe that has ensnared a state senator and an aide are arguing that the FBI and its undercover agents are guilty of entrapment, luring otherwise honest people to go along with criminal schemes hatched by federal officials. (AP Photo/Sing Tao Daily, File)

To ascend to the position of “dragon head” of one of San Francisco Chinatown’s fraternal organisations turned criminal enterprises, Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow arranged the assassination of his predecessor, according to a federal grand jury indictment on Friday.

The murder charge raises the stakes in an undercover five-year public corruption and organised crime probe that has already yielded racketeering charges against Hong Kong-born Chow and 28 others. The investigation also implicated a prominent former state Democratic senator, leading to his guilty plea.

Chow, 55, took control of Ghee Kung Tong in 2006 shortly after Allen Leung, its leader, was gunned down by a masked assassin at his import-export business. At the time of his death Leung, 56, was involved in Chinese community brotherhoods, or tongs, and had been appointed to city task forces by two San Francisco mayors.
State Senator Leland Yee (second from left) has been implicated in an organised crime probe involving Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow (right). Photo: AP
State Senator Leland Yee (second from left) has been implicated in an organised crime probe involving Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow (right). Photo: AP

In the wake of Leung death’s, Chow, who arrived from Hong Kong in 1976 at the age of 16, allegedly turned the fraternal organisation Leung had led into a criminal group that was behind the trafficking of stolen goods, narcotics, bulletproof vests and guns, while also unleashing violence.

Prosecutors allege that Chow’s racketeering enterprise laundered US$2.6 million in cash from illegal bookmaking.

The undercover FBI investigation led to a guilty plea from ex-state Senator Leland Yee for taking bribes. Yee, the investigation revealed, was a close associate of Chow. Yee was accused of winning passage of a state Senate resolution honoring Chow’s organisation in exchange for a bribe, as well as offering to broker a weapons sale.

Prosecutors also are alleging in the new indictment that Chow solicited the murder of Jim Tat Kong, a San Francisco gang member in 2013.

On Friday, Chow pleaded not guilty to murdering Leung, as well as charges including conspiracy to commit murder in “aid of racketeering”.
An FBI agent removes boxes from the Ghee Kung Tong building in the Chinatown neighbourhood in San Francisco. Photo: Reuters
An FBI agent removes boxes from the Ghee Kung Tong building in the Chinatown neighbourhood in San Francisco. Photo: Reuters

Two co-defendants in the racketeering case have pleaded guilty and implicated Chow in soliciting Leung and Kong’s killings, according to federal prosecutors.

Chow will now face two separate trials. His racketeering and money laundering case is slated to begin next month. A federal judge on Thursday decided that additional charges, including murder, would have to be tried separately from the racketeering charges.

Chow has contended in the past that he is a reformed figure who has bounced back from convictions for armed robbery, assault and pimping. His lawyers insist that he is being selectively prosecuted while other public figures whose conversations were captured in wiretaps were not indicted. In a recent motion his lawyers named San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.

Two Human Rights Commission officials affiliated with Lee’s 2011 election campaign were caught in wiretapped conversations explaining how they planned to break up US$10,000 donations — which exceed the limits under campaign finance law — into smaller amounts in the names of straw donors. One told an undercover agent that Lee was aware of the scheme. Lee has denied any wrongdoing.