The owner of a Doraville lingerie store pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to wire fraud in connection with a plot to get a piece of property rezoned.
Jae Jun Bae, who was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of wire fraud and bribery in December, pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.
Bae, who owns Moon Lingerie, was arrested by FBI agents in November after a city official he attempted to bribe contacted law enforcement, authorities said. Agents conducted an undercover sting, and during one of the meetings, Bae agreed to pay a member of Doraville's Community Development Department $100,000 to have a piece of property he purchased on Buford Highway rezoned, according to prosecutors.
Authorities said that over the course of about four weeks, Bae renegotiated the price to $70,000 and made at least two payments on the bribe.
"Bae attempted to buy his way around certain zoning restrictions by offering bribes to Doraville employees," Yates said. "But, we all play by the same rules. As expected, those employees reported Bae's conduct and, as a result, Bae has been brought to justice."
Bae is expected to be sentenced at 10 a.m. June 30.
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