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DATE=12/14/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-242981 TITLE=FUNDRAISER SENTENCED BYLINE=MIKE O'SULLIVAN DATELINE=LOS ANGELES CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A DEMOCRATIC PARTY FUND-RAISER, JOHNNY CHUNG, HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS OF PROBATION FOR MAKING ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. (HE WAS ALSO SENTENCED TO THREE-THOUSAND HOURS OF VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY-SERVICE WORK.) AS MIKE O'SULLIVAN REPORTS FROM LOS ANGELES, CHUNG AVOIDED A PRISON SENTENCE BY COOPERATING WITH PROSECUTORS. TEXT: JOHNNY CHUNG WAS ONE OF SEVERAL CHINESE-AMERICANS INDICTED ON CHARGES OF MAKING OR ARRANGING CONTRIBUTIONS TO DEMOCRATIC PARTY CAMPAIGNS IN VIOLATION OF U-S ELECTION LAWS. THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESSMAN ADMITTED IN MARCH THAT HE MADE AN ILLEGAL 20-THOUSAND-DOLLAR CONTRIBUTION TO THE 1996 CLINTON-GORE REELECTION CAMPAIGN. HE ALSO ADMITTED MAKING AN ILLEGAL EIGHT-THOUSAND-DOLLAR CONTRIBUTION TO THE CAMPAIGN OF DEMOCRATIC SENATOR JOHN KERRY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AND FRAUDULENTLY OBTAINING A LOAN FOR HIS CALIFORNIA HOME. BETWEEN 1994 AND 1996, CHUNG DONATED NEARLY 400-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. THE MONEY WAS RETURNED AFTER QUESTIONS WERE RAISED ABOUT ITS LEGALITY. CHUNG ADMITTED HE FUNNELED THE CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGH WHAT ARE CALLED "STRAW DONORS," TO CONCEAL THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS. BUT U-S DISTRICT COURT JUDGE MANUEL REAL EXPRESSED SKEPTICISM AT A LETTER FROM THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE, WHICH CLAIMED THAT CHUNG CONCEALED THE SOURCE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PARTY OFFICIALS. /// REST OPT /// THE FUNDRAISER COULD HAVE FACED UP TO 34-YEARS IN PRISON. PROSECUTORS RECOMMENDED PROBATION BECAUSE THEY SAID HE COOPERATED WITH THEIR TWO-YEAR INVESTIGATION OF ILLEGAL POLITICAL FUNDRAISING. OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM, JOHNNY CHUNG EXPRESSED RELIEF. /// CHUNG ACT /// I AM VERY TIRED, BUT THANK GOD IT IS OVER. /// END ACT /// JOHNNY CHUNG'S LAWYER SAID WAS PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE CASE, AND CALLED THE SENTENCE FAIR. (SIGNED) NEB/MOS/ENE/WTW 14-Dec-98 8:14 PM EST (0114 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .