LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A key Los Angeles panel is expected to rule Tuesday on whether a businessman made illegal donations to help re-elect Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

KNX 1070′s Brian Ping reports the City Ethics Commission plans to decide whether prominent Koreatown real estate developer Alexander Hugh illegally laundered $18,000 for Mayor Antonio Villaragosa’s 2009 re-election campaign.

Hugh already pleaded not guilty in April to five felony counts in a pending criminal case.

He is accused of making contributions under assumed names and exceeding the $1,000 maximum.

Before the contributions were made, he won approval from the mayor and city council for a large hotel project, despite a lack of support from the city planning commission, which was concerned that it would overwhelm the surrounding neighborhood. The hotel was never built.

If the Ethics Commission rules against Hugh, he could face a fine of more than $180,000 on top of his pending criminal charges.