Chinatown bribery scandal shakes Oakland Police Department

SCREEN CAPTURE / CBS

As an Oakland police officer, Lt. Harry Hu received a commendation.

During the murder trial of a Chinatown mobster, an Oakland, California police officer gave a glimpse at Chinatown's underworld that included collusion between members of the OPD and criminal elements. 

Former Oakland cop and Alameda County District Attorney Inspector Harry Hu is the central figure in a corruption probe that involves accepting bribes from Wing Wo Ma, according to coverage by The Oakland Tribune.

Hu's testimony Oct. 24 and 25 revealed that he was not the only officer taking bribes. Hu said that former Oakland Police Sgt. Warren Young was also taking money from criminal figures, the Tribune reported Sunday, Dec. 1.

Young currently works for Alameda County's Dept. of Social Services investigating welfare fraud and didn't respond to the Tribune's request for comment.

Last year, Hu confessed to taking the bribes. He admitted he accepted bribes from his longtime informant, Wing Wo Ma, 53, and had protected him from authorities, according to the Tribune. Hu even took steps to protect Ma after he committed a double murder, testifying he did so to hide the fact that Ma had bribed him.

As part of a plea deal, Hu agreed to testify in Ma's trial in October. A U.S. District Court jury in San Francisco Nov. 6 found Ma, also known as Mark Ma and Fat Mark, guilty of charges stemming from the fatal shooting of Jim Tat Kong, 51, of San Pablo, and Cindy Bao Feng Chen, 38, of San Francisco

In the plea agreement, Hu said “Ma provided me with things of value that included at least three trips to Las Vegas and a trip to Reno. Ma provided my airfare, hotel accommodations, meals, alcohol, and entertainment that included hiring women.”

As a rising star in the OPD, Hu gained a respected reputation among local law enforcement agencies as a gang expert. Hu was credited with building trust between the Chinese community and the police and instrumental in dismantling the gangs that operated within the Chinese American community. 

He was a mentor and role model for a number of Asian American officers, including Young, referring to Hu as “dai lo” or big brother.

Hu will be sentenced in May and could face up to five years in federal prison. Young has not yet been charged with any wrongdoing.

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