Thread: Mexican puts $500,000 in illegal contributions into U.S. elections

Azano’s son charged in campaign donations case

New indictment says son helped orchestrate illegal donations to local candidates

By Kristina Davis | 6:16 p.m. March 4, 2016 | Updated, 6:16 p.m.

Edward Susumo Azano (middle with blue pin stripe suit and striped blue tie) leaves federal court after one of his father’s court hearings. — Eduardo Contreras

SAN DIEGO — The prosecution of Mexican businessman José Susumo Azano Matsura, accused of orchestrating illegal donations to the campaigns of San Diego politicians, has widened to include his son.

An updated indictment filed in San Diego federal court Friday accuses Edward Susumo Azano Hester, 24, of recruiting straw donors on behalf of his father to give money to support the unsuccessful 2012 mayoral campaign of District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, who is referred to in the court documents only as “Candidate 1.”

The young Azano goes by the nicknames “Susu” and “Junior.”

“I need to get a $500 check from you to help Susu and His Father support the soon to be Mayor Bonnie Dumanis,” according to an email written by an alleged straw donor, who prosecutors say was recruited by Azano’s son. “We will give you the cash right away so you won’t lose any money but your support is appreciated and very much needed.” The indictment alleges the email was sent to six of the unnamed donor’s friends.

Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office had indicated before Christmas that they had new charges to file in the case, but waited until now to do so. It is not known why.

Edward Azano could not be reached for an interview Friday.

The prosecution has been slowly making its way through the court since the first complaint was filed in January 2014. It is unknown how the addition of Azano’s son might affect a trial date set for the end of July.


Jose Susumo Azano Matsura walks out of federal court with lawyers.— K.C. Alfred+Read Caption

The new indictment is now the working document in the case, which, in addition to the Azanos, charges campaign social media services guru Ravneet Singh, Singh’s company Electionmall, and City Hall lobbyist Marco Polo Cortes.

Two others have pleaded guilty in the case, including retired San Diego police Detective Ernesto Encinas, who worked as a downtown nightclub security consultant and oversaw Azano’s personal security, as well as Marc Chase, former owner of a luxury car dealership in La Jolla, who admitted donating to campaigns on Azano’s behalf. Neither has been sentenced.

Prosecutors lay out an alleged conspiracy among the group, claiming Azano directed them to support candidates of his choice either through hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations by other people or via campaign services that were offered for free, according to the indictment.

Prosecutors say Azano, who made his fortune selling surveillance equipment to militaries, was the funding behind all the donations, but his name never appeared in any documentation because he is a foreign national, and thus prohibited by law from giving to U.S. campaigns.
Azano has two homes in Coronado, where his family lives, and had split his time between there and Mexico, where he conducted the bulk of his business.

Azano, Singh and Cortes have all pleaded not guilty.

This is not the first time Azano’s son has made headlines.

Edward Azano was at the center of a public flap the summer of 2014 over a college admissions letter that Dumanis appeared to have written to University of San Diego President Mary Lyons.

The letter described the young man as “bright, energetic, compassionate and genuinely well-rounded.” He ended up attending the school for a year in 2013.

Dumanis said in an interview with KUSI that she didn’t know the prospective student personally and signed the letter at the request of Encinas, a longtime friend.

Dumanis has denied any knowledge of donations coming from Azano and said he has never asked her for any favors. Both she and Filner met separately with Azano at one of his Coronado homes.

Before the prosecution, the younger Azano was also the subject of a 2012 TMZ article that detailed his exploits at a Las Vegas club, which apparently included buying a $90,000 19-liter bottle of champagne and dropping $40,000 more on drinks. When guest DJ and rapper Jermaine Dupri played his requested song, Azano allegedly stuffed a $3,800 tip into his pocket, the entertainment website reported.

Edward Azano has attended most, if not all, of his father’s hearings in the case over the past two years, impeccably dressed in designer suits.

Now, he will be among the defendants.
The indictment accuses Azano of instructing his son to recruit friends and associates to act as conduits for campaign donations to Dumanis’ campaign, usually in increments of $500. In December 2011, the son allegedly delivered thousands of dollars in cash and preprinted envelopes to donors, the indictment says.

His father is also accused of secretly supporting the winner of the mayoral race, Bob Filner, and the congressional campaign of Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego. Encinas and Cortes are accused helping coordinate the donations, while Singh is accused of donating his campaign social media services to Dumanis and Filner and then getting reimbursed by Azano, according to the indictment.

Singh is also charged with bribing an undercover FBI agent who he allegedly thought was a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent, to obtain damaging information on a Colombian business rival. And Azano faces a weapon charge after a gun was found at his home during the execution of a search warrant.

The defendants are set to appear in court Tuesday.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...ign-donations/

Mexican billionaire found guilty of buying political influence in U.S.

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Judge sentences Azano to three years in federal prison