NEW YORK, Jan 17 (Reuters) - A former Mozambique finance

minister was sentenced on Friday to 8-1/2 years in prison after

being found guilty of participating in a fraud involving $2

billion in loans to three state-owned companies to develop the

southern African country's fishing industry.

Manuel Chang, 69, was convicted in August by a Brooklyn jury

of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit

money laundering in the "tuna bonds" case, following a four-week

trial.