Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

US Consumer Sentiment Weakens in August, Inflation Expectations Rise

4 hours ago

Outside Lands 2025: Where Music, Love, and Community Collide

1 day ago

Federal Judge Orders Trump Admin to Restore Hundreds of UCLA Research Grants

1 day ago

Trump Names Rosner as Chair of Energy Regulator

1 day ago

Wall Street Slips as Hot Producer Inflation Data Dampens Rate-Cut Bets

1 day ago

Trump Says He Thinks Putin Will Make a Deal

1 day ago

Fresno Unified Wants Parents to Know About New Resources as School Begins

2 days ago

Trump Revokes Biden-Era Order on Competition, White House Says

2 days ago

US Judge Blocks Trump Religious Exemption to Birth Control Coverage

2 days ago

Trump Says He Will Name New Fed Chair ‘a Little Bit Earlier’

2 days ago
San Francisco Official Charged With Corruption in FBI Probe
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
January 29, 2020

Share

SAN FRANCISCO — A top San Francisco public official and go-to bureaucrat to mayors over two decades was charged with public corruption Tuesday, upending City Hall as elected leaders scrambled to reassure the public that bribery and kickbacks would not be tolerated.

“The complaint alleges corruption pouring into San Francis co from around the world. San Francisco has been betrayed as alleged in the complaint.” — David L. Anderson, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California
The complaint unsealed against San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru and longtime restaurateur Nick Bovis focuses on an aborted attempt in 2018 to bribe a San Francisco airport commissioner for retail space.
It also alleges other schemes in which Nuru is accused of trying to help his friend score contracts to build homeless shelters and portable toilets, along with a restaurant at the city’s new $2 billion transit station.
Nuru is also accused of accepting free labor at his vacation home and a John Deere tractor as well as lavish gifts from a developer, including a $2,070 bottle of wine.
“The complaint alleges corruption pouring into San Francis co from around the world,” said David L. Anderson, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California. “San Francisco has been betrayed as alleged in the complaint.”
Nuru, 57, appeared in federal court Tuesday along with Bovis, the owner of Lefty O’ Doul’s, a popular sports bar in Fisherman’s Wharf, and other city businesses. Each was released after posting $2 million bail.
Photo of Nick Bovis
File – In this Nov. 20, 2018, file photo, owner Nick Bovis prepares to cut a ribbon during the opening of Lefty O’Doul’s Baseball Ballpark Buffet & Café at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Looking on are state assemblyman David Chiu, second from left, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, second from right and city public works director Mohammed Nuru, third from right. A top San Francisco official in charge of cleaning up the city’s notoriously filthy streets and a champion of adding more portable toilets has been arrested, jail records show. San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru was taken into custody Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, along with Nick Bovis, the owner of Lefty O’ Doul’s, a longtime sports bar popular with tourists. Records say only that the men were arrested for felony safekeeping, which typically indicates federal charges. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Nuru Was Initially Arrested in Late January

Nuru’s attorney, Ismail Ramsey, said his client has been a dedicated public servant for decades and was grateful to have worked at Public Works. “Mr. Nuru welcomes and looks forward to addressing these charges in court,” he said.
An attorney for Bovis, Gil Eisenberg, declined to comment.
Bovis, 56, runs a popular Christmas toy drive and Nuru, who goes by “MrCleanSF” on Twitter, oversees the design and construction of city facilities and 1,600 employees. The agency has a project portfolio of more than $5.6 billion.
As the top official since 2012 in charge of a city public works operating budget exceeding $500 million, Nuru is tasked with cleaning up San Francisco streets, which critics note remain cluttered with feces, trash and used needles amid a homelessness crisis.
In August, he launched a “Poop Patrol” tasked with power-washing high-risk streets. Critics say they can’t understand how he’s stayed in his job given the condition of city streets and construction.
Nuru was initially arrested in late January and agreed to cooperate with officials, but violated his agreement not to discuss the case and was re-arrested, Anderson said. He lied to officials about not discussing the case, Anderson said.
Nuru could face 25 years in prison while Bovis could face 20 years.

‘The Politics Are Just Crooked’

The allegations say the two participated in a scheme “to defraud the public of its right to the honest services of a public official through bribery or kickbacks” in violation of their duty.

“See, the problem, in San Francisco too, the politics are just crooked, you know what I mean?” — restaurateur Nick Bovis 
In the airport scheme, the 75-page criminal complaint says Nuru and Bovis had meetings over several months in which they discuss how to secure a lease space for Bovis’ restaurant at the airport. Eventually, Bovis brought an envelope with $5,000 to a meeting with an unnamed airport commissioner who refused to take it, the complaint said.
San Francisco International Airport Director Ivar C. Satero said in a statement that he takes the allegations very seriously “and we are deeply concerned by this effort to circumvent our selection process.” He said he welcomed the mayor’s contract review.
At one meeting recorded by an FBI agent, Bovis said all the public officials in San Francisco “work, like, side deals,” the complaint states.
“See, the problem, in San Francisco too, the politics are just crooked, you know what I mean?” he is quoted as saying in the complaint.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed said Nuru was placed on administrative leave Monday. She has asked the city attorney and controller to review city contracts that may have been affected.
“I will do everything I can to ensure that those who fail to uphold (the highest) standard are held accountable,” she said in a statement.
The complaint also references other unnamed city officials and deals made over the years. Anderson said others who have information about criminal activity should “run not walk” to the FBI in San Francisco.
Photo of David L. Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
David L. Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, gestures during a media conference Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020, in San Francisco. A top San Francisco official tasked with keeping the streets clean has been charged with public corruption in schemes that include offering a bribe for space at San Francisco International Airport, providing inside information to a friend seeking permits to build homeless shelters and accepting lavish gifts from a billionaire Chinese developer. San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru made an initial appearance in court Tuesday along with Nick Bovis, the owner of Lefty O’ Doul’s, a popular sports bar in Fisherman’s Wharf and other city businesses. Each was ordered held on $2 million bail. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

The Complaint Also Alleges That a Company With Numerous City Contracts

The complaint focuses on the failed airport scheme, but it also lays out other examples of the two collaborating to fool the public. Nuru tried to give Bovis a leg up in getting public contracts for portable toilets and small container-type portable housing for the homeless, it says.
Anderson said Nuru also repeatedly met with a Chinese billionaire seeking to build a large mixed-use building in San Francisco, accepting gifts of lavish hotel stays, travel and a $2,070 bottle of wine. He did not report any of the gifts as public officials are required to do.
“Thank you very much for all your generosity while we were in China. We had a great vacation and my daughter had a wonderful time. I will do my very best to see that your project gets completed,” he wrote to the developer in November 2018, according to the complaint.
The complaint also alleges that a company with numerous city contracts, including a $2 million contract with public works in 2018, sent people to work for free or at greatly discounted rates on Nuru’s Northern California vacation home.
City Supervisor Matt Haney, who represents an inner-city area at the heart of street waste complaints, said he has repeatedly pushed for accountability from a department that is run “like a one-person fiefdom.”
Supervisor Gordon Mar called the fraud detailed by the FBI “appalling, and that such behavior went unchecked until now is inexcusable.”

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Kevin McCarthy, Redistricting Commission’s Popularity Stand in Newsom’s Way

DON'T MISS

Tulare County Gas Stations Vandalized, Credit Card Scanners Stolen

DON'T MISS

California Man Rescued From Behind Waterfall After 2 Days

DON'T MISS

Washington Sues to Stop Federal Takeover of Police Department

DON'T MISS

US Health Chief Kennedy Says No Plans for 2028 Presidential Run

DON'T MISS

Redistricting Fight Continues as Texas Governor Abbott Calls New Special Legislative Session

DON'T MISS

California Legislature’s Final Weeks Could Decide Delta Water Tunnel’s Fate

DON'T MISS

Israel in Talks to Resettle Gaza Palestinians in South Sudan, Sources Say

DON'T MISS

California Coastal Commission Opposes SpaceX Launch Expansion on West Coast, Again

DON'T MISS

DOJ Sues California to End Enforcement of Emissions Standards for Trucks

UP NEXT

California Coastal Commission Opposes SpaceX Launch Expansion on West Coast, Again

UP NEXT

DOJ Sues California to End Enforcement of Emissions Standards for Trucks

UP NEXT

Barry Bonds Beats the Babe! Statistical Model Crowns a New ‘Greatest’ in Baseball

UP NEXT

Californians to Vote on Mid-Decade Redistricting in November, Newsom Says

UP NEXT

California’s Newest Invaders Are Beautiful Swans. Should Hunters Kill Them? 

UP NEXT

Why Young Americans Dread Turning 26: Health Insurance Chaos

UP NEXT

Federal Judge Orders Trump Admin to Restore Hundreds of UCLA Research Grants

UP NEXT

California Says Trump Sent Military to ‘Silence’ LA Protests

UP NEXT

Hidden in Trump’s Spending Package Is a Boost to CA’s Affordable Housing

UP NEXT

Newsom to Trump: Let’s End This ‘Rigging’ of House District Maps

Washington Sues to Stop Federal Takeover of Police Department

48 minutes ago

US Health Chief Kennedy Says No Plans for 2028 Presidential Run

53 minutes ago

Redistricting Fight Continues as Texas Governor Abbott Calls New Special Legislative Session

1 hour ago

California Legislature’s Final Weeks Could Decide Delta Water Tunnel’s Fate

2 hours ago

Israel in Talks to Resettle Gaza Palestinians in South Sudan, Sources Say

2 hours ago

California Coastal Commission Opposes SpaceX Launch Expansion on West Coast, Again

2 hours ago

DOJ Sues California to End Enforcement of Emissions Standards for Trucks

2 hours ago

Madera Police Investigate Collision, Urge Drivers to Avoid Area

3 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Carson Anderson Rinehart

3 hours ago

Donelson Headlines a Talented Group of Fresno State Running Backs

3 hours ago

Kevin McCarthy, Redistricting Commission’s Popularity Stand in Newsom’s Way

Convincing California voters to approve his “fight fire with fire” plan to draw up new congressional district maps might prove a...

34 minutes ago

34 minutes ago

Kevin McCarthy, Redistricting Commission’s Popularity Stand in Newsom’s Way

Thieves vandalized gas pumps and stole credit card scanners from two Springville markets early Thursday, August 14, 2025, and Tulare County detectives are investigating. (Tulare County SO)
36 minutes ago

Tulare County Gas Stations Vandalized, Credit Card Scanners Stolen

In an image from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Ryan Wardwell stands trapped at the Seven Teacups waterfalls in the Sequoia National Forest on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. Wardwell, who was found with minor injuries and suffering from dehydration, was located by rescue crews operating a drone near where he had last been spotted. (Tulare County Sheriff’s Office via The New York Times) In an image from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, a California Highway Patrol helicopter hovers over a waterfall where a man was trapped at the Seven Teacups waterfalls in the Sequoia National Forest on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. The man, who was found with minor injuries and suffering from dehydration, was located by rescue crews operating a drone near where he had last been spotted. (Tulare County Sheriff’s Office via The New York Times)
44 minutes ago

California Man Rescued From Behind Waterfall After 2 Days

Police detain a person in the Brightwood neighborhood after U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of the federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department under the Home Rule Act and the deployment of the National Guard to assist in crime prevention in the nation's capital, in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 14, 2025. (Reuters File)
48 minutes ago

Washington Sues to Stop Federal Takeover of Police Department

U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., speaks during a press conference as new actions on the opioid 7-OH compound are announced, at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., July 29, 2025. (Reuters File)
53 minutes ago

US Health Chief Kennedy Says No Plans for 2028 Presidential Run

The U.S. and Texas state flags flutter on the day of a special session of the Texas House after Democratic lawmakers left the state to deny Republicans the opportunity to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, in Austin, Texas, U.S., August 14, 2025. (Reuters/Sergio Flores)
1 hour ago

Redistricting Fight Continues as Texas Governor Abbott Calls New Special Legislative Session

Aerial View of California's Delta
2 hours ago

California Legislature’s Final Weeks Could Decide Delta Water Tunnel’s Fate

Palestinians carry aid supplies they collected from trucks that entered Gaza through Israel, in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip August 10, 2025. (Reuters File)
2 hours ago

Israel in Talks to Resettle Gaza Palestinians in South Sudan, Sources Say

Search

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Send this to a friend