A politically connected restaurant owner from Washington's Chinatown neighborhood and his son pleaded guilty to making illegal payments to the head of the city's taxicab commission.
Anthony “Tony” Cheng Sr. and his son, Anthony Cheng Jr., entered their pleas Wednesday in federal court. The younger Cheng pleaded guilty to a felony charge of payment of a gratuity to a public official, and the elder Cheng pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of making an offer of unauthorized compensation.
Federal prosecutors say the Chengs gave $1,500 in cash to the chairman of the taxicab commission for help starting a taxi business that never opened. The chairman was working as an FBI informant at the time.
The Chengs could each receive up to six months in prison under federal guidelines.
