California State Sen. Leland Yee isn't the most interesting figure nabbed in a new FBI sting
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
California State Sen. Leland Yee (D) was arrested by the FBI on Wednesday, accused of bribery, illegal arms dealing, and other crimes. Yee, 65, represents District 8 in the Bay Area, and he's a candidate for secretary of state.
The most intriguing figure in this case isn't Yee, though, but rather Raymond Chow, an organized crime figure known as Shrimp Boy. (Do we want to know how he got that nickname?) Chow, 54 (wouldn't that make him Shrimp Man?), was also arrested as part of Wednesday's sting. He has a checkered past; according to court documents, he's sold heroin, was involved in extortion and racketeering, and spent more than seven years in prison after an armed robbery conviction. Since Chow's release, he has allegedly lived a double life: authorities say that while he was speaking to students about the dangers of a criminal life, he was still playing a leadership role in the global Asian gang the Triad. Read all about the charges against Yee, Shrimp Boy, and other alleged associates at the Los Angeles Times.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Margaret Atwood’s ‘deliciously naughty’ memoirIn the Spotlight ‘Bean-spilling’ book by The Handmaid’s Tale author is ‘immensely readable’
-
Being a school crossing guard has become a deadly jobUnder the Radar At least 230 crossing guards have been hit by cars over the last decade
-
Crossword: November 4, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
The countries around the world without jury trialsThe Explainer Legal systems in much of continental Europe and Asia do not rely on randomly selected members of the public
-
The Supreme Court case that could forge a new path to sue the FBIThe Explainer The case arose after the FBI admitted to raiding the wrong house in 2017
-
ABC News to pay $15M in Trump defamation suitSpeed Read The lawsuit stemmed from George Stephanopoulos' on-air assertion that Trump was found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll
-
Judge blocks Louisiana 10 Commandments lawSpeed Read U.S. District Judge John deGravelles ruled that a law ordering schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms was unconstitutional
-
Swearing in the UK: a colourful historyIn The Spotlight Thanet council's bad language ban is the latest chapter in a saga of obscenity
-
ATF finalizes rule to close 'gun show loophole'Speed Read Biden moves to expand background checks for gun buyers
-
Hong Kong passes tough new security lawSpeed Read It will allow the government to further suppress all forms of dissent
-
France enshrines abortion rights in constitutionspeed read It became the first country to make abortion a constitutional right
