Maria Hsia was convicted of laundering donations to the Democratic National Committee by the Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple during the 1996 U.S. presidential election. She was sentenced to 90 days home detention, probation, a fine, and community service.
Born in Taiwan, Hsia came to the United States as a student in 1973 and received a permanent resident visa in 1975. Originally, she worked for immigration law firms in Los Angeles. In 1982, Hsia began fund-raising for political candidates in state and local races. In 1988, her work for then California Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy's Senate campaign introduced Hsia to national politics. She eventually became a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee.
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