New York’s first Asian-American assemblyman tearfully apologized yesterday for orchestrating a bribery scam, as he was sentenced to one month in jail and fined $30,000.
“As I child, I grew up in poverty,” said weeping former lawmaker Jimmy Meng, 68. “I have always tried to the best of my ability to help others less fortunate than me. I cannot explain what had come over me and why I did this.”
Meng — who represented Flushing from 2005 to 2006 and whose daughter Grace is New York’s first Asian-American Congress member — pleaded guilty to promising to use his influence to quash a tax-fraud probe for an acquaintance in exchange for $80,000.
At one point during the scheme, Meng told the man to bring some of the bribe money hidden inside a fruit basket – but when the delivery arrived, undercover FBI agents were there to witness the transaction.
Officials believe that Meng was lying about his promise to use his influence to quash the tax fraud probe by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for the acquaintance, and in reality only intended to bilk the businessman out of money and pocket it for himself.
Investigators do not think there was any wrongdoing by local prosecutors.
At yesterday’s court hearing, the Democratic former legislator told the judge he was haunted by his poor judgment.
“It is simply a stupid mistake that I will have to live with for the rest of my life,” he said.
Brooklyn Assistant US Attorney Todd Kaminsky told the judge that Meng was an influential government and personal leader in New York City’s growing Chinese-American community, but his actions undermined the public’s trust.
“It’s clear that greed played a role in his crime. He thought he could sucker somebody into giving him $80,000,” Kaminsky said.
Meng’s conduct was “the exact opposite of what one would expect of a former assemblyman,” Kaminsky said.
Brooklyn federal Judge Allyne Ross said it was clear that Meng “used his civic and personal status to enrich himself” unjustly.
But she noted that his advanced age and health problems – along with his many years of community service – called for the former assemblyman to receive a measure of leniency.
The judge also mandated that he perform 750 hours of community service and two years probation.
Meng had faced up to 18 months in prison on wire fraud charges in an plea agreement with federal prosecutors.
His defense attorney, Todd Greenberg, admitted to the judge that Meng’s conduct represented “an egregious breech of trust.”
“Clearly Mr. Meng’s judgment became clouded,” Greenberg said.
“On this day of judgment, should not one judge this man as a whole?” The attorney asked, noting that since his arrest last year Meng has been suffering from “extreme depression” and “is punishing himself.”
His daughter, Congresswoman Grace Meng, was at the Brooklyn federal court hearing in support of her father.
Last week, the freshman lawmaker wrote to the judge asking leniency for her father, saying he “regrets his actions and has learned his lesson.”
The congresswoman’s letter, which was written on personal stationery and makes no mention of her official stature, was submitted along with other written requests from her father’s relatives and friends.