California State Sen. Leland Yee isn't the most interesting figure nabbed in a new FBI sting
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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.
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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.
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