![]() Cheng’s claims are accurate or not,” wrote spokeswoman Lisa Slimak. “Due to the age of the case and all the individuals involved no longer being with the office/court we just can’t confirm with 100% certainty if Mr. “In a financial case, this is the best exoneration,” Cheng said by email.Ĭivil Beat reached out to the U.S. Once government prosecutors saw that his actions had not resulted in any financial losses to a federally insured financial institution, Cheng says the court cut his penalty from millions to court costs. He declined a request for an interview, saying he was “flattered” by Civil Beat’s interest but “weary” of doing interviews because words “can be taken out of context.”Ĭheng points to the reduction in restitution he was required to pay as proof of his innocence. Neither Cheng nor the lawyer ultimately produced anything. ![]() When Civil Beat started reporting on him, Cheng said he would have his attorney gather records proving he was exonerated. Bush rejected Cheng’s request for a pardon. Supreme Court declined to review his case. Long after Cheng had left prison, a federal judge in Texas in 2001 turned down his petition for his sentence to be vacated because it wasn’t filed within the statutory period of limitations. An appeals court later overturned one of the charges and Cheng’s sentence was reduced. Simpson to the Boston Strangler to Hunter Biden - to defend him.ĭespite his high-wattage legal team, Cheng lost his criminal case at trial. Lee Bailey and Abbe Lowell– whose clients ranged from O.J. What it does show is a man who went to great lengths to clear his name, hiring legendary attorneys F. (Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2023)īut a review of court records turns up nothing to indicate that Cheng was exonerated or had his sentence reversed. ![]() Construction crews work at the Pulelehua development in Kapalua in West Maui in October. “You will not find any government fines, levies, liens, restitution orders outstanding on me as they do not exist for what has been decades now because the Government has rescinded them,” Cheng wrote in an email to Civil Beat. Nor is it reflected in national news coverage of what was, at the time, a major story that affected millions of Americans.Ĭheng told the Maui News in 2016: “I have vindicated myself.” As recently as last month, he professed his innocence. Yet Cheng repeatedly claims he was exonerated of his crimes - an assertion not supported by what’s available of the public record. sued him and several Wall Street investment banks for alleged securities fraud.Ĭheng’s troubles happened decades ago, and he appears to have gone on to have a successful career in real estate and stayed out of legal trouble. He became a figure in the savings and loan crisis that shook the country’s economy in the 1980s, appearing in national news articles. In the 1990s, Cheng spent years behind bars after a conviction on multiple counts of bank and wire fraud, false entries and transporting illegally obtained money across state lines. ![]() (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023)Ĭheng and his project have many supporters in Maui and the developer cites a decades-long record of accomplishment, including high-rise residential towers in Dallas, master-planned subdivisions in North Texas, and luxury condominiums in Newport Beach, California.īut there’s a lesser-known chapter in Cheng’s resume, unfamiliar to many on Maui, including officials who have worked with him in the past, board members of a nonprofit he leads and others who may be asked to approve major financing for the new development. Paul Cheng is a Texas-based developer who is planning to build the Pulelehua affordable housing project in West Maui photograph. In exchange for developing the Pulelehua subdivision near the Kapalua Airport, Paul Sau-Ki Cheng wants $50 million from Maui County, on top of $18 million he’s already received. 8 wildfire, a Texas real estate developer is offering to build hundreds of affordable homes just north of Lahaina. The public record does not show that.Īs Maui County officials struggle to find housing for thousands of displaced people who survived the deadly Aug. Paul Sau-Ki Cheng says he was exonerated of his financial crimes in the 1980s.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |