Last Updated on 1 month by Ashley Michael
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass appointed two bankers with ties to Chinese government organizations to her transition advisory team after they donated over $1 million to her campaigns and affiliated nonprofit.
Dominic Ng, CEO of East West Bank, and Simon Pang, co-founder of Royal Business Bank, joined Bass’ mayoral transition team in December 2022. Both men have connections to the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, according to a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation.
The combined donations from Ng, Pang and East West Bank exceeded $1 million to Bass’ mayoral campaign and the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles. Bass serves as an advisor to the board of directors for the nonprofit organization.
Pang contributed up to $33,000 to Bass’ congressional and mayoral campaigns. Records show $3,800 went to her congressional campaign between 2019 and 2020, and $4,700 to her mayoral campaign starting in 2021.
East West Bank and Ng provided over $1 million to Bass and the Mayor’s Fund. Ng personally donated $1,500 to her mayoral campaign in April 2022. The East West Bank Foundation contributed between $100,000 and $999,999 to the Mayor’s Fund during the current reporting period.
Pang serves as Southern California coordinator for the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship With Foreign Countries. U.S. officials have identified this organization as affiliated with the United Front Work Department, a Chinese influence and intelligence service.
The banker organized nine delegations of American lawmakers to China by December 2019. These trips continued through at least 2023, with participants meeting Chinese government officials. Most delegation members were Democratic politicians.
In July 2022, Pang arranged a meeting between Bass and Chinese-American entrepreneurs in California. They discussed crime, homelessness and business issues. Five of the ten attendees later donated to Bass’ mayoral campaign.
An East West Bank spokesperson confirmed Ng previously participated in two Chinese government organizations but denied involvement in a third. Bass’ office, Pang, and Royal Business Bank did not respond to requests for comment about the appointments.