San Francisco Public Works Director Arrested On Alleged Public Corruption Charges

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — The head of San Francisco’s Department of Public Works has been arrested on charges of public corruption, federal authorities said Tuesday.

Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, 58, was arrested Monday by FBI agents and accused of several corruption schemes involving city contracts. Businessman and restaurateur Nick Bovis, 57, owner of the famed Lefty O’Doul’s bar and restaurant, was also arrested as part of the probe.

Nuru is also the Chair of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority Board of Directors, which administers the Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco.


Dave Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, announced the charges at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

“The complaint alleges corruption pouring into San Francisco from around the world,” said Anderson. “The complaint alleges corruption, bribery, side deals by one of San Francisco’s highest-ranking public employees.”

The complaint alleged Nuru was involved in five corruption schemes in 2018-2019. One alleged scheme involved lease of restaurant space at San Francisco International Airport, normally awarded by five-person airport commission. The complaint alleges Nuru and Bovis schemed to bribe an airport commissioner with cash and travel, bribes that ultimately were not paid.

A second scheme involved an unidentified Chinese billionaire developer who allegedly provided Nuru with travel, lodging, high-end liquor and other gifts in order to manipulate the building permit and inspection process for the developer.




https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/01/28/san-francisco-public-works-director-mohammed-nuru-alleged-public-corruption/