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Press Release

Lingerie Business Owner Sentenced To Federal Prison For Bribery

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia

ATLANTA – Jae Jun Bae has been sentenced to one year and one day in prison for offering bribes to Doraville employees in exchange for a zoning modification.

“Bae tried to buy his way around zoning restrictions by offering bribes to Doraville employees,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “As anticipated, those employees reported Bae’s conduct and assisted law enforcement authorities to bring him to justice.  Bae opened his wallet looking to circumvent the law.  What he found was a felony conviction and a prison cell.”

“Doraville Police Department is dedicated to ensuring the integrity of the city government,” said Doraville Police Chief John King.  “Our message is don't bring your corruption or bribery attempts to Doraville or you will face prosecution.  We would like to thank the U.S. Attorney's office and the FBI for helping us maintain this integrity and ensuring the proper sentence for Mr. Bae.”

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court:  Bae is the owner of Moon Lingerie, a lingerie business located in Doraville, Ga. In April 2012, Bae bought a commercial building located on Buford Highway in Doraville, Ga.  At the time of the purchase, the property was zoned for retail use and could not be used as a wholesale location as Bae wanted. In August 2012, Bae met with an employee of the City of Doraville and attempted to give the employee an envelope of cash, in an effort to have the Buford Highway property re-zoned. The employee did not take the envelope and reported Bae’s attempt to local law enforcement authorities.

In October 2013, Bae asked to meet with a member of Doraville’s Community Development Department. Based on the allegations from August 2012, the staff member (SM) reported Bae’s request for a meeting to law enforcement authorities and agreed to cooperate with them. Thereafter, the FBI and the Doraville Police Department conducted a series of undercover operations involving Bae.  In particular, on October 17, 2013, Bae met with the SM and an undercover officer (UC), who was posing as a member of Doraville’s Community Development Department.  During the meeting, Bae agreed to pay approximately $100,000 to have the Buford Highway property re-zoned to permit wholesale uses.  On October 18, 2013, Bae met with the UC and re-negotiated the price to obtain a wholesale re-zoning from $100,000 down to $70,000. On October 29, 2013, Bae made a $5,000 payment to the SM as a deposit to get the Buford Highway property re-zoned.  On the next day, Bae gave the UC a $3,000 payment, which the UC said would secure a vote in favor of Bae’s re-zoning application. On November 14, 2013, the FBI arrested Bae.

On April 3, 2014, Bae, 35, of Duluth, Ga., pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud.   He was sentenced to one year and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, and to serve 200 hours of community service.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Doraville Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey W. Davis and Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin Sanders prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.

Updated April 8, 2015