Malcolm Harris, a middleman in a foreign bribery scheme, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges in a case that involves a potential $800 million international real estate deal.
Harris, 53, of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of conducting monetary transactions in illicit funds, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The scheme involved bribes to a foreign official in the Middle East to land a real estate deal, and Harris admitted to stealing $500,000 in bribes intended for the official. He spent the money on lavish personal expenses, including rent for a luxury penthouse apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Harris’s co-defendants, Joo Hyun Bahn and his father Ban Ki Sang, are also facing charges in connection with the scheme. Bahn is pending before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos, while Ban is a fugitive believed to be residing in South Korea.
The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI’s International Corruption Squad in New York City.
Harris is scheduled to be sentenced on September 27. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Related Federal Cases
- Emily Johnson, Wire Fraud, New York, 2023 · Florida
- Terrell Fuller, Wire Fraud, New York 2023 · New Jersey
- Nathaniel Chastain, Wire Fraud, New York 2022 · Texas
- Alagi Samba, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, New York 2008 · Florida
- Barry Connell, Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, New York 2016 · Washington
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
