AP/FacebookShrimp Boy – not as friendly as he looks!
If you thought that dramatic stories of mafia hits were confined to the history books and the big screen, think again – San Francisco-based Chinese mob boss ‘Shrimp Boy’ is currently facing murder charges for the 2006 gangland hit on the man who held the position before him.
Raymond ‘Shrimp Boy’ Chow is accused of being involved in the murder of his former boss Allen Leung and a rival gang member Jim Tat Kong in 2006.
The 55-year-old is a convicted gangster and is already facing charges of running the Ghee Kung Tong cultural organisation which prosecutors claim is a front for mob-based crime.
In total, Shrimp Boy has been brought up for 140 charges including racketeering, money laundering, smuggling, conspiracy and even moving smuggled cigarettes. Clearly the cops aren’t messing around with this guy…
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, two of Chow’s co-defendants have agreed to give evidence against their alleged boss, in return for lesser sentences. It’s believed they plan to implicate him in the two murders and other racketeering charges.
And if you were thinking that all this crazy story is missing is a bit of corruption, fear not. The FBI has been running a five-year undercover operation into Chow’s organisation and found links to senior political figures – in July, former state senator Leland Yee admitted taking bribes in return for promises of political favours and illegal gun-smuggling.
The diminutive Chow, 54, was the enforcer for the most feared street gang in San Francisco Chinatown in the 1980s, gaining a violent reputation to become one of the most famous and feared forces in the Chinese mafia. He previously served 11 years of a 25 year sentence for running prostitution rings, smuggling drugs and blackmailing business owners, after his entire crew fled and left him to take the fall.
The latest trial kicks off on November 2 and ol’ Shrimp Boy is looking at up to another 20 years behind bars if found guilty.
