SAN FRANCISCO — On Monday March 1, City Attorney Dennis Herrera announced 5 executives and their companies were found out to be connected to the Mohammed Nuru public corruption scandal. The scandal surfaced February 12 after Florence Kong admitted to bribing Mohammed Nuru with gifts that included a $36,000 gold Rolex watch and for bribing a public official and making false statements to the FBI. All 5 executives were given suspensions.
The suspension came from the new anti-corruption rule that was signed by Mayor London Breed in November 2020 and put into effect on Christmas day. This new rule is an example of the consequences the 5 executives must face. The rule allows suspensions even while the executives’ cases are still looping through criminal court.
The Suspension order is of the following:
- Nick James Bovis and his company SMTM Technology, LLC
- Alan Varela and William Gilmartin and their company ProVen Management Inc.
- Florence Kong and her companies SFR Recovery Inc. And Kwan Wo Ironworks Inc.
- Wing Lok “Walter” Wong and his companies W. Wong Construction Co., Inc., Green Source Trading, LLC, and Alternate Choice, LLC
Herrera explained that the suspension order stops the contractors from seeking or receiving any contracts or grants, directly or indirectly, from San Francisco while their cases are being investigated. He also said, “Crooked public officials or people who seek to bribe their way into City contracts fail our residents, erode public trust, and undermine the exceptional work done by thousands of San Francisco public servants every day.”
According to a release on September 17 2020 from the U.S Attorney’s Office Northern District of California Alan Varela and William Gilmartin stated that the executives could face a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, as well as fines that could go as high as $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the alleged bribery scheme.
On another release from the U.S Attorney’s Office on May 13, 2020, Nick James Bovis faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count to which he has agreed to plead guilty. Wing Lok “Walter” Wong faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison on each count, as well as fines that could go as high as $500,000.
On February 11 Florence Kong was the first to be sentenced to prison by Federal Judge William Orrick. She was sentenced to one year and one day. In addition to doing time, she was ordered to pay a fine of $95,000.
