SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – Mohammed Colin Nuru, who resigned as the Director of the San Francisco Department of Public Works in 2020 amid a corruption scandal, was sentenced Thursday to seven years in federal prison for honest services wire fraud.
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Nuru, 59, was arrested on Jan. 17, 2020 on charges of honest services fraud in public office. A complaint filed against him accused him of using his position to accept bribes and issue kickbacks.
An additional federal complaint was filed against him that same month for lying to a federal agent after his arrest.
He pleaded guilty this Jan. 6 to the charge of defrauding the public of its right to his honest services.
"Mohammed Nuru's prison sentence is punishment for more than a decade of public corruption," said United States Attorney Stephanie Hinds in Thursday's press release. "For at least twelve years, Nuru shook down contractors eager for City business, trading his authority and influence for millions of dollars in cash, construction work, travel, meals, and gifts. His abhorrent conduct erodes the public’s trust in its government, and this case demonstrates the justice system can and will punish corrupt public officials."
Nuru not only admitted guilt to fraud, he also admitted that he used his position not only as Director since 2011, but also as Deputy Director of Operations since 2000 and as a member of the Board of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) since 2014, eventually becoming Chair.
He used these positions to influence construction projects and contracts in the city countless times, leading to favors such as paid international flights and hotel stays for Nuru and his then-girlfriend at the time, another city official, Sandra Zuniga. Other favors included paid holiday parties, expensive meals, and even a gold Rolex watch valued at $36,550.
Nuru will also submit to 3 years of supervision after fulfilling his prison sentence. He's also required to surrender his vacation ranch in Stonyford, CA, the recipient of several bribes, to the United States.
His sentence will begin on Jan. 6, 2023.
Other public officials have been arrested and charged in similar cases as part of a larger corruption investigation in San Francisco, including the former San Francisco Public Utilities Commission General Manager Harlan Kelly.
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