SC couple accused of illegally giving to Graham

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A Mount Pleasant man and his estranged wife are accused of illegally contributing to Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham’s campaign and his political action committee.

U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles said the indictment against Jian-Yun “John” Dong and his wife, Danher Wang, was unsealed Monday. Nettles says there’s no evidence Graham’s campaign knew about the alleged conspiracy.

The indictment accuses the two of giving to Graham’s re-election efforts in other people’s names, using money from a German shareholder of their business. It accuses them of exceeding their maximum contribution allowance. It accuses Dong of lying to officers and tampering with a witness.

Wang says she hasn’t seen the indictment and couldn’t comment.

A separate indictment accuses 54-year-old Dong of fraudulently receiving grants from federal agencies for scientific research and pocketing the money.