State Sen. Leland Yee Faces New Racketeering, Conspiracy Charges

A federal grand jury in San Francisco has issued a revised indictment against state Sen. Leland Yee, who was first charged in March with corruption and arms-trafficking. Among the new allegations: Yee and an accomplice attempted to extort money from an unnamed National Football League team owner in exchange for a vote on pending legislation.

The revised indictment (embedded below) recasts the case against the veteran legislator as a conspiracy in which he and San Francisco political consultant Keith Jackson allegedly used the senator's political committees as a racketeering operation that engaged in bribery, extortion and money-laundering. The document refers to the alleged Yee-Jackson operation as "The Campaign."

The indictment includes the federal charges announced March 26, the day Yee was arrested in connection with an FBI investigation targeting reputed Chinatown gang leader Raymond Chow. Yee pleaded not guilty to the charges, which accused him of trading favors for donations to his 2011 campaign for mayor of San Francisco and 2014 campaign for California and also alleged he had agreed to facilitate arms purchases by an undercover FBI employee.

But the new charges also allege that Yee and Jackson conspired to extract a payment from the owner of "NFL Team A" in exchange for supporting AB 1309, a worker's compensation bill that would benefit pro sports franchises.

The revised indictment says that Yee and Jackson conspired to extort a payment after an undercover FBI employee identifed as "UCE 4180" told them he knew the owner of the unidentified Team A.

In a meeting with the undercover employee, the indictment says:

Yee explained that the owners of professional football had an interest in AB 1309, it was in the financial interest of AB 1309 to pass, and Yee held a key position on the Senate Committee that would considering AB 1309 because Yee controlled two votes on the committee. Yee also stated that the players on professional football teams opposed AB 1309. Yee told UCE 4180 that UCE 4180 should convey this information to the owner of NFL Team A and the owner of NFL Team A should contact Yee with an offer to help Yee. When UCE 4180 asked how much Yee's vote would cost, Yee responded, "Oh no ... we gotta drag it out, man. We gotta juice this thing."

The indictment also alleges that Yee and Jackson privately discussed approaching other teams and players' representative to see who would pay the most for Yee's vote.

The indictment also says that When UCE 4180 told Jackson that the NFL owner was willing to pay $60,000 for Yee's support for AB 1309, Jackson contacted Yee, then texted the FBI employee, "Hey [UCE 4180], where [sic] all good on our end ... kj."

The indictment says UCE 4180 did not pay any money to Jackson or Yee in connection with the bill, which eventually passed. Yee voted for the legislation.

The revised charges also detail an alleged Yee-Jackson conspiracy involving SB 309, a bill that would extend the life of the California State Athletic Commission, which has jurisdiction over professional and amateur boxing, kickboxing and other forms of full contact martial arts competitions.

The indictment says Yee and Jackson worked to persuade two supporters of the bill to make donations to the state senator in exchange for his yes vote on the bill.

The indictment describes a phone call in which Yee and Jackson discussed the alleged scheme:

Yee told Jackson that he spoke to an individual (hereafter "Indivual A") who had an interest in extending the existence of the CSAC and "did a number" on that person. Yee said he told Individual A that Yee intended to shut down the CSAC, but Individual A should hire Jackson to lobby Yee to vote to extend the CSAC. Jackson subsquently spoke to Individual A, who said he was fearful that Yee was going to vote against extending the life of the CSAC. Jackson told Individual A that he was willing to help, but would have to be paid.

The indictment does not indicate whether Individual A or a second athletic commission supporter, Individual B, actually paid Yee or Jackson for the senators vote. Like AB 1309, SB 309 passed, again with Yee voting yes.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a call to Yee's attorney for comment on the additional charge was not immediately returned.