Assemblywoman and congressional hopeful Grace Meng raced to put some distance between herself and her father, former Assemblyman Jimmy Meng, after his arrest today on federal wire fraud charges.

“I am shocked and deeply saddened by these allegations,” Meng said in a statement.

“Prior to this afternoon’s reports, I had no knowledge of my father’s actions or the investigation. I am independent of my father – always have been, always will be. Until more facts emerge and we have a better understanding of the situation, the only thing further I’ll say is that I urge my father to fully cooperate with all authorities.”

Jimmy Meng was the first Asian American to serve in the Legislature. Grace Meng is currently occupying his seat, but is trying to go to Congress. She won a four-way Democratic primary in the newly-drawn NY-6 in Queens on June 26 and is now facing off against GOP NYC Councilman Dan Halloran.

According to the Daily News, which broke this story, Jimmy Meng was scheduled to appear in Brooklyn Federal Court for a bail hearing this afternoon. He refused an offer to cooperate and wear a hidden wire in an ongoing investigation by the feds.

The former assemblyman allegedly solicited an $80,000 payoff by claiming he could fix an associate’s criminal tax case by influencing assistant district attorneys in Manhattan to reduce the penalty, sources said. Meng told his associate that he could get the prosecutors to get him a better plea offer, according to the criminal complaint.

Odd detail: The payoff Jimmy Meng solicited was delivered in a fruit basket.

Meng Final Complaint

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