Anthony ‘Tony' Cheng, Son Plead Not Guilty to Bribery

A politically connected restaurant owner from Washington's Chinatown district and his son have pleaded not guilty to charges of bribing public officials to obtain taxicab licenses.

Anthony "Tony'' Cheng and his son, Anthony Cheng Jr., entered the plea Monday in federal court in Washington. The two are accused of giving $1,500 to the former chairman of the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission and promising to pay him 10 percent of their profits if he would help them falsify documents they needed to start a taxicab business.

The younger Cheng faces two counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. The elder Cheng who owns a restaurant that bears his name, faces one count each of bribery and conspiracy.

The Chengs declined to comment outside of court Monday.