CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / LOS ANGELES
Two Florida businessmen who planned to seek lucrative concession contracts from Los Angeles International Airport for their gift shop business pleaded guilty Friday to laundering campaign contributions to Antonio Villaraigosa’s 2005 mayoral campaign and agreed to pay more than $200,000 in fines and penalties.
Sean Anderson and Richard Manhire, who own the Miami-based Travel Traders LLC, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of improperly identifying a campaign contributor, according the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
In return for their pleas, prosecutors dismissed felony conspiracy charges.
Prosecutors said the pair donated $40,000 to Villaraigosa under the names of at least two dozen employees and their associates between September 2004 and April 2005.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Horwitz sentenced the men to two years probation and ordered each to pay $102,600 in fines and penalties. As part of their probation, they are banned from contributing to any political campaign in Los Angeles.
-- Phil Willon
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