Aide to Donor Claims Torricelli Berated Her for Aiding Investigators
By Jeffrey Gold Associated Press Writer
Published: Apr 15, 2002NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A woman who admitted obstructing a Justice Department probe of illegal contributions to Sen. Robert Torricelli's 1996 campaign was sentenced to three years' probation Monday and said Torricelli berated her and told her to shut up after she began cooperating with investigators.
"Torricelli called me on the phone, yelling at me, telling me to shut up," Audrey Yu told the judge at her sentencing. "It would be so shameful if we have a senator like Torricelli representing our nation."
Yu, 34, worked for businessman David Chang, a contributor who admitted funneling $53,700 to the 1996 campaign. She pleaded guilty in 2000 to obstructing the Justice Department investigation into Chang's contributions by lying to a grand jury.
"Torricelli is still lying about his relationship with David Chang," Yu told U.S. District Judge Alfred M. Wolin.
Wolin agreed with prosecutors that Yu provided substantial assistance and sentenced her to probation.
Torricelli's office had no immediate response when told of Yu's statements.
The New Jersey Democrat has said he was unaware of illegal contributions. The three-year investigation of the senator's finances was closed in January without any criminal charges against Torricelli, but prosecutors gave their material to the Senate ethics committee.
Torricelli is running for a second term in November.
Also Monday, Wolin sentenced Cha-Kuek "Charles" Koo, an executive with a South Korean conglomerate, to one year of probation and fined him $5,000 for making illegal donations to the 1996 Torricelli campaign.
Koo, 56, pleaded guilty in 2000 and cooperated with investigators. Koo admitted he recruited eight "straw" donors at Chang's behest. Chang gave him cash to reimburse the donors, Koo said.
Koo is among seven people who admitted making illegal donations to the 1996 campaign.
AP-ES-04-15-02 1329EDT
Interesting...