LOS ANGELES (AP) – A former Los Angeles City Council member was sentenced Friday to 13 years in prison for a pay-to-play bribery scandal involving real estate development projects.<\/p>\n
Jos\u00e9 Huizar, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered him to pay $443,905 in restitution to the city and top casino usa<\/a> $38,792 to the IRS.<\/p>\n Prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum that Huizar chose “to place his own lust for money and power above the rights and interests of the people he was elected to serve.”<\/p>\n Huizar pleaded guilty a year ago to racketeering conspiracy and tax evasion.<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n Prosecutors said that from 2013 to 2017, Huizar masterminded a $1.5 million scheme tied to the approval of downtown high-rise developments while he chaired the city\u00b4s powerful Planning and Land Use Management Committee.<\/p>\n Huizar was accused of giving favorable treatment in exchange for cash, casino<\/a> gambling chips, luxury stays in Las Vegas, expensive meals, online casino<\/a> prostitution services, flights, concert and live casino online<\/a> sports tickets, political contributions and funds to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit.<\/p>\n Multiple other individuals and companies were charged alongside Huizar or in related cases. Three have been sentenced, and five are awaiting sentencing. One has a pending retrial, and another is a fugitive.<\/p>\n Huizar must surrender to federal authorities by April 30.<\/strong><\/p>\n His scheme was among a string of scandals that rocked the 15-member council in recent years.<\/p>\n