NEW YORK—Comptroller John Liu snubbed one of his former aides, Xing Wu (Oliver) Pan, during an event on May 12. This followed his pointedly ignoring a question about Pan after Pan and a second aide were convicted for attempted wire fraud while fundraising for Liu’s mayoral campaign.
The Fujian Fuqi Association held its 13th inauguration ceremony and 26th anniversary celebration at 88 Palace Restaurant in New York Chinatown. Pan is the executive vice chairman of the United Fujianese of America Association, as well as of the Fukien American Association, both known to be front groups for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Pan, and Liu’s former treasurer, Jia (Jenny) Hou, were found guilty May 2 for trying to defraud New York City by using straw donors to illegally funnel campaign-matching funds into Liu’s campaign.
Liu, Pan, and the deputy general consul of the Consulate General of China in New York, Zhong Ruiming, all attended the event.
Liu and Zhong shook hands with Chen Xueshun, acting chairman of the Fukien American Association, and Jimmy Cheng, chairman of United Fujianese of America Association. Liu and Zhong, however, avoided Pan.
“Nobody talked to him, I saw tears in his eyes, and he left half way during the banquet,” a member of the Fujianese association told The Epoch Times, referring to Pan.
This is the second time Liu has avoided Pan. During a press conference the day Hou and Pan were found guilty, Liu avoided mentioning Pan, even when asked directly about him. A reporter asked, “You said you’re upset about Jenny Hou’s conviction: What about Oliver Pan?”
Liu replied, “I said what I said about Jenny.”
Another member of the Fujianese Association told The Epoch Times, “John Liu abandoned him. Chinese Consulate also disregarded him. He was so actively helping John Liu for fund-raising, but now his reputation is totally ruined.”
He added, “Ninety-nine percent of these heads of dozens of Fujianese Associations in New York got their green cards through political asylum. If they don’t uphold American values, and collaborate with the CCP, Pan will be their lesson.”
He shook his head and said repeatedly, “There is no good ending working with CCP.”
Both Fujianese members requested to have their identities withheld.
The United Fujianese of America Association is one of four Fujianese umbrella organizations. The other three are the Fukien American Association, the United Chinese Associations of New York, and the American Fujian Association of Commerce and Industry, according to, “Illegal Immigration in America: A Reference Handbook,” edited by David Haines and Karen Rosenblum.
The associations are known as “tongs,” and play pseudo-governing roles over Chinese communities.
The handbook notes the associations are heavily pro-communist. The Epoch Times was also told by Ko-lin Chin, a professor at Rutgers University and an expert on Chinese organized crime, “Once that organization, the Fukien American Association, became one of the leading [China]-supported organizations, they became the host of almost all these Chinese officials who are visiting New York.”
A report through the Department of Justice, “Chinese Transnational Organized Crime: The Fuk Ching,” states that the Fukien American Association—which Pan also serves on—is connected to the Fuk Ching gang, which is involved in human trafficking, extortion, and protection rackets.
Hou Ping, a Flushing resident familiar with New York tongs, commented on Liu’s ties to Hou.
“Hou is the daughter of Hou Jianli, founder of Beijing Association in New York. Hou family’s background is pro-CCP.”
“You think she’s not influenced by her father’s pro-CCP background? Who would believe? Why did Liu let a twenty-five-year old girl take charge of his campaign finance? Isn’t it obvious that Liu wants to utilize her father’s connections?” he said. “Until now, Hou’s family said they support Liu, and Liu also said Jenny Hou is a good person. They are all on the same boat, belong to the same group!”
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