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Former SFPUC head convicted on corruption charges

San Francisco City Hall
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Flickr / Creative Commons
San Francisco City Hall

Harlan Kelly was convicted on six of the eight counts against him -- conspiracy, bank fraud and honest services wire fraud -- but the jury acquitted him of two additional wire fraud charges.

The 61-year-old Kelly resigned in November 2020 after being caught up in a federal investigation of City Hall corruption that included many other San Francisco officials, including Mohammed Nuru, the former director of the city's Department of Public Works.

Kelly was accused of a bribery scheme in which he received discounted construction work and a paid international vacation for his family by contractor Walter Wong in exchange for providing confidential internal documents to a contractor to give Wong competitive advantages in the city's bidding process, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Kelly's wife, Naomi Kelly, was the city administrator for San Francisco and was not charged in the City Hall corruption case, but stepped down from the position in January 2021 following her husband's arrest.

Harlan Kelly remains out of custody pending his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been set.

Sunni M. Khalid is a veteran of more than 40 years in journalism, having worked in print, radio, television, and web journalism.