'Shrimp Boy' Chow pleads not guilty to charges in San Francisco organized crime case

SAN FRANCISCO – A central figure in a sweeping San Francisco organized crime and public corruption case has pleaded not guilty.

Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow entered his plea Tuesday in federal court to eight counts of money laundering, one count of conspiracy to sell stolen liquor and one count of trafficking in illegal cigarettes.

Prosecutors say Chow is the leader of a notorious gang based in Chinatown.

Chow's lawyers counter that their client is an innocent community organizer wrongly caught up in a politically charged investigation that also led to charges against state Sen. Leland Yee.

Yee is accused of accepting bribes and attempting to connect an undercover FBI agent with an arms dealer in exchange for cash. Yee has pleaded not guilty.