Metro

Light sentences for Liu campaign fraud

Two key players in embattled city Comptroller John Liu’s failed mayoral bid dodged lengthy prison terms for campaign fraud on Thursday.

Former campaign treasurer Jia “Jenny” Hou and former fund-raiser Xing Wu “Oliver” Pan were both sentenced to less than a year for trying to scam thousands of dollars in matching funds from the city’s Campaign Finance Board.

Liu was not charged in the case, which followed a lengthy federal probe of so-called “straw” donors whose contributions were reimbursed by others. But the investigation did lead to convictions in May of Hou and Pan.

Hou, 27, of Queens, broke down in tears before being sentenced by Manhattan federal Judge Richard Sullivan to 10 months behind bars and three years of supervised release. She had been found guilty of attempted wire fraud, obstruction of justice and making false statements, but acquitted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

During the trial, her ex-boyfriend testified that Hou had offered to reimburse him if he gave $500 to the campaign.

Pan, 47, of Jersey City, was sentenced to four months in prison and three years of supervised release after being caught in an FBI sting accepting $16,000 through straw donors. The feds had sought a sentence of 10 to 14 months for his conviction on wire-fraud charges.

The feds had sought 24 to 30 months for Hou, who continued to claim her ­innocence while asking Sullivan for leniency, alleging she was “overwhelmed” and inexperienced when she accepted the political gig two years ago.

“What I lacked was experience in life, and that lack of experience meant I did not have the judgment evidently required to step back and say, ‘Hey what is really going on here?’ ” a teary-eyed Hou said before bowing in respect to a crowd of courtroom supporters including her parents.

Sullivan, however, said “it is not a crime to be overwhelmed, naive and lack experience, but that is not what the jury convicted you of — they convicted you of fraud.” He also said her conviction for lying to prosecutors was even more “serious.”

The elegantly attired Hou — who was not issued a fine because the judge determined she couldn’t afford it — was sporting what appeared to be Van Cleef and Arpels earrings that run $6,500 a pair.