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New
Illinois governor inherits old set of problems
Rod Blagojevich entered the Illinois governor's office with
the state budget falling apart and public confidence shaken by a spectacular
scandal. Six years later, Blagojevich is gone but if anything his tenure dug
the hole deeper.
Group
vows change for waterfront as Phila. unit dissolved
A new agency has been formed to revitalize the city's Delaware
River waterfront and replace an organization that has been marked by secrecy
and scandal since its creation in 1970.
Salazar
to revisit scandals at Interior
More than a half dozen workers at the Colorado office were disciplined
or fired last year after they were accused of using drugs, having sex with oil
and gas industry representatives and accepting gifts from them.
'Mayor
For Life' in Yet Another Tax Flap
This
news comes after Barry pleaded guilty in 2005 to two misdemeanor tax charges
and admitted to not filing his taxes from 1999 to 2004. So he didn't pay most
of the taxes he owed on more than $500,000 in income.
Ex-official
faces fraud claims
An
Eastpointe city councilman who resigned earlier this week amid allegations of
insurance fraud is expected to be arraigned on charges
today.
Blagojevich
Skips Out On Day 3 Of Trial
Gov.
Rod Blagojevich's impeachment trial turned Wednesday to issues that had nothing
to do with allegations he tried to sell President Barack Obama's vacated Senate
seat — instead focussing on accusations he broke hiring laws, wasted taxpayer
money and illegally defied the state Legislature.
Scandal
rocks Tulsa City Hall
A cryptic resignation letter, a city-issued cellular phone and
an identification badge were waiting on Paul Zachary’s chair when he arrived
for work in Tulsa’s Public Works Department.
This development Jan. 21 would become the city’s first
indication that the Public Works Department was about to be caught up in a public
corruption scandal that involved millions of dollars in construction and consulting
contracts.
Kilpatricks,
Conyers among 8 named in FBI bribery probe
Former
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, his father, Bernard Kilpatrick, and City Council
President Monica Conyers are the major figures cited in a sludge-hauling executive's
account of greed and bribery in the Synagro scandal, sources confirmed Tuesday
to the Free Press. The three have not been charged with wrongdoing in the case.
UCF
dean accused of $40,000 spending spree with university credit card
A
University of Central Florida dean is under investigation today after auditors
discovered he purchased $40,000 worth of high-end electronics for personal use
with his university-issued credit card.
Senators
grill SEC regulators over Madoff scandal
Government
and industry regulators were put sharply on the defensive yesterday at a Senate
hearing over their failure to uncover the more than 10-year, multibillion-dollar
fraud scheme that authorities say was carried out under their noses by Bernard
Madoff, a prominent Wall Street figure and money manager.
Miss.
mayor indicted on Katrina fraud charges
Gulfport
Mayor Brent Warr is the highest-ranking public official so far to be charged
with fraud related to the storm that slammed the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005.
School
can expel lesbian students, court rules
An
appeals court decided this week that the private religious school was not a
business and therefore did not have to comply with a state law that prohibits
businesses from discriminating.
School
Principal Arrested On Drug Charges
Parents
at an area school questioned why the principal was still on the job Monday after
she was faced with felony drug charges.
Arrested
Pastor Oversaw FEMA Trailer Program
Neighbors
who gave money to a popular Plaquemines Parish pastor to secure FEMA trailers
for them want to know where their money and trailers are now that pastor Martin
Denesse has been arrested on drug charges.
Ex-school
chief sues over Oakland firing
A
former Oakland County superintendent who went to jail for crimes including the
illegal awarding of more than $1 million in school contracts is suing the school
district for firing him.
Committee
Finds Lawmaker Violated Ethics Law
Anchorage
Republican Kevin Meyer probably violated state ethics law when he used state
resources to prepare and mail his legislative newsletter to non-constituents.
Business
Ordered to Pay $300,000 in Fraud Case
A
Lincoln business has been ordered to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution after
pleading guilty to health care fraud.
D.A.
investigates allegations that Temple City officials solicited bribes
The
Los Angeles County district attorney's office is investigating allegations that
the Temple City mayor and two City Council members solicited tens of thousands
of dollars in bribes and a condominium from a developer in exchange for their
support of a $75-million mall project.
Local
officials ask state probe of Portland mayor
Oregon’s
attorney general has agreed to investigate Portland Mayor Sam Adams, who has
admitted he lied to cover up an affair with a teenager in 2005.
Riveria
Beach Mayor's car impounded
Just
two weeks ago Mayor Thomas Masters was pulled over for speeding.
Now, Friday night he was handed three traffic citations.
Former
N.Y. majority leader Bruno indicted
Joseph
Bruno, who was New York's top Republican as the state Senate majority leader,
was accused in a sweeping federal indictment Friday of abusing his public position
to enrich himself.
Haggard
faces more allegations of gay relations
Disgraced
evangelical leader Ted Haggard’s former church disclosed Friday that the
gay sex scandal that caused his downfall extends to a young male church volunteer
who reported having a sexual relationship with Haggard—a revelation that
comes as Haggard tries to repair his public image.
Documents:
Church knew of abuse
Church
officials have never acknowledged they knew anything about the abuse while it
was happening.
Now,
a host of new documents obtained through a court petition by The Indianapolis
Star reveal that church officials knew about allegations against Monroe by 1976
-- early in an era of sex abuse that lasted from 1974 to 1984.
Steelers
Tight End Arrested In Virginia
Pittsburgh
Steelers tight end Jonathan Dekker was arrested early Saturday and charged with
obstruction of justice.
Lawmakers
steamed over snubbed subpoenas
State
lawmakers on Wednesday said they don't plan to pursue abuse of power findings
against Gov. Sarah Palin, but they do want to know why their subpoenas were
ignored in last fall's Troopergate investigation.
Merrill
CEO's $1.2M redecorating spree
On
the day former Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain was apparently forced out of a new
job at Bank of America, we've learned he'd spent more than $1.2 million to redecorate
his office after taking over at the investment firm.
Postal
worker pleads guilty to stealing gift cards
A
Scottsdale postal worker has pleaded guilty to stealing gift cards from letters
on his route and using them to purchase items for himself.
State
Senator and Local Pastor Found Guilty
A
federal jury in Birmingham late Wednesday afternoon found state senator EB McClain
and retired reverend Samuel Pettagrue guilty on 48 counts each of bribery, money
laundering and mail fraud.
City
taxpayers could pay for Dixon's defense
Baltimore
taxpayers could foot the bill for Mayor Sheila Dixon's legal fees under a new
policy being drafted by the city law department.
Pastor
and Music Teacher Charged with Sex Crimes
A
man who parents entrusted with the care of their children has been charged with
sex crimes. Tony Ray Malbrough worked as a pastor and a music teacher at a Waldorf
church when the alleged crimes occured.
Former
Wheatfield Twp. treasurer pleads guilty
Former
Wheatfield Township Treasurer Barb Culham pleaded guilty today to stealing about
$51,000 in township funds and tax revenues.
Ex-firefighter
pleads guilty to lookout tower fire
A
former volunteer firefighter has pleaded guilty to charges that he set fire
to the High Knob Observation Tower.
Former
Commissioner Lynette Boggs ordered to pay $2,000 fine
She
pleaded guilty to filing a false statement of residency. Boggs was initially
indicted in 2007 for felony counts of perjury and filing false documents.
Former
DSS official accused of embezzling due in court
The
former finance director for the South Carolina Department of Social Services
accused of embezzling millions from the agency is due to appear in court.
Nation
keeping eye on California illegal-student case
Several
states are keeping an eye on a California court case that could be a bellwether
for colleges that discount tuition for undocumented
immigrants.
Pastor
Charged with Child Sex Abuse
A
Maryland pastor has been charged with multiple counts of sexual child abuse.
The Charles County Sheriffs Special Victims Unit arrested Tony Ray Malbrough,
44, of Indian Head, on January 18.
Portland
mayor admits lying about sex with teen
More
than a year after denying it, newly elected Mayor Sam Adams has admitted having
a sexual relationship with a male teenager in 2005.
Gainesville
Volunteer Fire Department Dissolved
Prince
William County supervisors have voted to dissolve Gainesville's volunteer fire
department after an audit uncovered a number of problems.
Gov.
Perdue faces $21 million in personal debt
Records
reveal the governor got the loan from AgGeorgia Farm Credit in Perry on collateral
worth less than 20 percent of the loan's value, an unusual move, the newspaper
reported.
Police
investigating credit-card company used by GJ restaurant
Police
spokeswoman Kate Porras said the owners of the Cavett House Grille & Pub,
359 Colorado Ave., reported Saturday that the restaurant's credit-card payment
company charged patrons multiple times for the initial amount charged. They
also reported that the company has withheld credit charges that would be paid
to the Cavett House because the restaurant hasn't paid fees from the charges
billed to patrons.
Teacher
fired for using duct tape on student
The
Tippecanoe School Corp. has fired a middle school teacher who placed duct tape
over a student's mouth to keep him from talking in class.
Trial
set for two Delray priests accused of stealing from parish
The
Revs. John Skehan, 81, and Francis "Frank" Guinan, 66, are scheduled
for trial Wednesday, each charged with one count of grand theft over $100,000
- a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Fla.
financier said to owe $50 million
Around
the same time he mysteriously vanished, hedge-fund manager Arthur G. Nadel owed
a $50 million payout to some investors, an accountant said yesterday.
Police:
Long Island security guard stabs teen moviegoer
Police
say the security guard, Ricardo Singh, was directing patrons to exit the theater
after a showing of "My Bloody Valentine in 3D" when he got into an
argument with a 16-year-old who wanted to wait inside for his ride.
Housing
official pleads guilty to stealing gift cards
A
Baltimore housing department official pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing from
the same batch of gift cards for needy families that Mayor Sheila Dixon is accused
of pilfering and has agreed to cooperate in a prosecutor's case against the
mayor.
Former
Fry's exec is arraigned on nine felony charges, enters not guilty plea
On
Jan. 6, a grand jury indicted Siddiqui, once a vice president at Fry's Electronics
before he was fired Dec. 22, for nine illegal transactions worth about $6 million.
He allegedly arranged kickbacks from Fry's suppliers to pay off his huge gambling
debts.
Ex-Bayley-Ellard
principal pleads guilty to touching student
After
more than five years of fighting sexual abuse charges, the former principal
of the now-defunct Bayley-Ellard High School in Madison admitted today to touching
a male student’s buttocks during a hug and shoving a teacher and warning
the man not to report the offensive touching.
Priest
accused of embezzling from Delray Beach parish may be seeking plea deal
The
Rev. John Skehan has reached an "amicable resolution" which will be
presented to a judge on Jan. 21, the day his trial on a grand theft charge is
scheduled to begin, his defense attorney wrote in a court filing.
Skehan
is set to be tried at the same time as the Rev. Francis Guinan, 66, who is also
charged with one count of grand theft over $100,000.
The
priests were arrested by Delray Beach police in 2006, accused of stealing offertory
money from St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church. Allegations arose that Skehan
- and much later Guinan - had misappropriated more than $8 million over decades.
FBI
raids offices of Bobby Ferguson
The
FBI confirmed to the Free Press that they began a raid at 8:30 a.m. on the business
offices of Bobby Ferguson, a friend of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
and a controversial city contractor who was jailed for pistol-whipping a former
employee.
Mayor
criticized for steering builder's largesse
Mayor
Michael Wildes steered more than $100,000 from a city developer to a handpicked
group of churches, synagogues and charities late last year, an arrangement the
mayor said was beneficial to the city and its residents.
But
some city officials said the donations funneled through Wildes were inappropriate
and served as a way for the mayor to solidify his base.
Judge
awards $7.8 million in insurance suit
A
federal judge has awarded $7.8 million to a group of mostly state employees
who claimed two insurance companies cheated them out of payments related to
their cancer treatments.
Inauguration
declared 'emergency'
President
Bush on Tuesday declared the District a federal emergency area, clearing the
way for the city to receive federal money to help cover the overwhelming cost
of providing security for official inauguration events.
Officials
said it was the first time the designation had ever been used for anything other
than a national disaster, such as a hurricane or widespread flooding.
Councilman
gets jail time
Belmont
Councilman Bill Dickenson, who maintained his innocence all through trial to
allegations he assaulted his former girlfriend and business partner, was sentenced
yesterday to 20 days jail, 36 months of probation and 104 hours of domestic
violence counseling.
Teacher
charged in assault of two girls
A
middle school teacher has been charged with aggravated sexual battery of two
girls at the Portsmouth school he works at.
Lovington
Commissioner Pleads To Fraud
Lovington
City Commissioner David Trujillo has pleaded to charges of fraud, attempted
fraud, money laundering and conspiracy in a plea agreement that dropped most
of the charges filed against him in 2006.
Governor
Blagojevich vows to resist impeachment
The
scandal-ridden governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, yesterday vowed to fight
on after Illinois lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to impeach him.
Two
indictments, but so many loose ends
City
Councilwoman Helen L. Holton and developer Ronald H. Lipscomb were indicted
on charges related to an alleged bribery scheme.
Council
wasn't told of brutality lawsuit
A
civil lawsuit against Mayor Barrie Parsons Tilghman, Police Chief Allan Webster,
the five-member City Council and nine city police officers was filed in U.S.
District Court late November, but council members are scratching their heads
wondering why they didn't hear about it in a recent closed session in which
the city's legal matters were discussed.
Former
Md. lawmaker due at prison for porn offense
A
former Maryland state delegate has a 2 p.m. appointment with the federal Bureau
of Prisons to start serving a 37-month sentence for possessing child pornography.
Mayor
Dixon Continues Routine Despite Indictment
One
day after being charged with 12 counts of felony theft, perjury, fraud and misconduct
in office, Mayor Sheila Dixon is still on the job.
Ex-state
representative Weyhrauch plans appeal of court ruling
In
Bruce Weyhrauch's case, prosecutors say, he was soliciting a Veco job at the
same time he was voting on an oil tax pushed by Veco's chief executive, Bill
Allen. Prosecutors argue that a failure to disclose what they describe as a
conflict of interest amounts to honest services fraud, a federal offense.
Hedge
Fund Mgr. Arrested At SFO On Fraud Charges
Trabulse
had been wanted by the FBI for suspicion of defrauding his clients out of possibly
$10 million, according to customs and border protection officials. The exact
amount Trabulse allegedly defrauded has not been determined.
Teacher
charged with possessing child porn
An
elementary teacher at a Detroit charter school was arrested Tuesday on federal
charges of possessing child pornography.
SEC:
Asleep at the wheel?
Republican
and Democratic House members said Monday that the alleged $50 billion fraud
involving Wall Street figure Bernard Madoff reflects deep, systemic problems
at the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Democrat
Roland Burris blocked from Senate
The
man named by the scandal-plagued governor of Illinois to replace President-elect
Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate failed to gain entry on Tuesday when the chamber's
secretary rejected as incomplete his credentials for the seat.
County
Councilman Indicted In Theft Probe
Baltimore
County 4th District Councilman Kenneth Oliver was indicted on two counts of
felony theft and numerous election law violations involving failure to account
for campaign committee funds and expenditures ...
Oliver
indicted on felony theft charges
Baltimore
County Councilman Kenneth N. Oliver was indicted yesterday on felony theft charges
involving the personal use of campaign funds, the state prosecutor's office
said.
Immigrant
driving privileges mulled
A
panel advising Gov. Jon S. Corzine is considering recommending "driver
privilege cards" and in-state college tuition rates for undocumented immigrants.
New
Mexico governor backed down over pay-to-play probe
Gov.
Bill Richardson's gold-plated resume had never been tarnished as he moved up
the political ladder from congressman and diplomat to governor.
Ex-Detroit
Mayoral Aide Gets 120-Day Jail Sentence
Nearly
a year after headlines lit a City Hall sex scandal, the former top aide to ex-Mayor
Kwame Kilpatrick was sent to jail Tuesday to serve the same punishment as her
boss: 120 days with time shaved for good behavior.
Former
Bank Manager Sentenced In D.C. Tax Scandal
Walter
Jones helped deposit nearly $18 million in fraudulent checks while working at
Bank of America after he was befriended by the scheme's mastermind, Harriette
Walters. Prosecutors say that in exchange for his help, Jones received cash
gifts totaling at least $366,000.
Mark
Ingram arrested in Flint after nearly a month on the lam
Former
NFL star and Flint native Mark Ingram is behind bars, nearly a month after he
disappeared on the day he was scheduled to begin serving a prison sentence for
bank fraud and money laundering.
California
Faces $42 Billion Shortfall
Californians
expecting a state tax refund have been told they might get IOUs instead.
Teacher
at UH indicted in fraud
Eric
Youn, an assistant professor of social work at the University of Hawai'i, was
indicted Tuesday on five felony counts, including second-degree theft and second-degree
attempted theft, first-degree extortion and second-degree identity theft.
Special
needs student left alone overnight on frigid bus
Linda
Hockaday was aware Rivera was asleep on the bus, but did not inform the driver
he was there, prosecutors allege in a criminal complaint. She didn't want to
retrace the bus route and take Rivera home because she had to get to an appointment,
the complaint said.
Bills
Player Arrested Outside Bar
Buffalo
Bills safety Ko Simpson was arrested outside a bar in his hometown of Rock Hill
after he refused to leave officers alone as they arrested another man, according
to a police report.
Ex-pastor
of St. Leo's abused boy in '70s, parish told
Parishioners
at St. Leo's Catholic Church in Little Italy were informed at weekend Masses
that their former pastor - who was removed suddenly more than a year ago - molested
a 13-year-old boy in the late 1970s at a New York church. Michael Salerno, better
known as "Father Mike," was a brother at All Saints Church in Brooklyn
when the alleged abuse occurred.
Town
Accused Of Falsifying Safety Documents
The
state is taking the town to court for allegedly falsifying school bus safety
documents. Inspectors told Eyewitness News that they have never seen such a
level of disrepair.
Federal
inspectors want Alabama health officials to repay $5.7 million
Federal
inspectors said the money was put in an interest-bearing account by the association,
and $5.7 million was not actually spent on the intended goods and services before
a program deadline.
Area
priest accused of sexual misconduct
The
reported molestation occurred in 1993 between a minor and the Rev. Jean Ronald
Joseph, now a priest at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Holmes Beach, said Adela
Gonzales White, communications director with the Diocese of Venice. The alleged
misconduct took place when Joseph was assigned to St. Frances Xavier Catholic
Church in Fort Myers.
H-P
Accused Of Illegally Selling Printers In Iran
Hewlett-Packard
Co. could be breaking U.S. trade sanctions by using a third-party distributor
to sell printers in Iran, The Boston Globe reported Monday.
CANYON
LAKE: Councilman's wife had a history of unpaid loans, court documents say
Suzanne
Kessler, the wife of former City Councilman Frank Kessler, had a habit of borrowing
lots of money without paying it off, long before she and her husband were arrested
Dec. 17 on charges of embezzlement, court documents allege.
Council
Chooses Replacement for Former Councilman
Robert
J. White III. resigned earlier this month after admitting to the bribery charge
in federal court. Federal prosecutors say White took a $500 bribe from a Cleveland
businessman who was cooperating with the FBI.
Ex-NY
lawmaker caught in online sex scandal pleads guilty
At
61, a former New York lawmaker and member of the state parole board got himself
entangled in a sex scandal - that of trying to entice minors online for sex.
Ex-Contractor
Gets 21/2 Years in Prison In Cunningham Case
A
former defense contractor who gave more than $1 million in gifts -- including
cash, home furnishings, a Rolls-Royce and an antique commode -- to then-Rep.
Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.) was sentenced yesterday to 2 1/2
years in federal prison.
Bond
Set at $100K for Savannah Firefighter
Cudlip
has been arrested in the death of a bicyclist in Bluffton. ... He's charged
with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and involuntary manslaughter.
The
Best (and Worst) Sex Scandals of 2008
Amid
2008's many sex scandals, it was a miracle there was any time left to monitor
an epochal presidential election. There were many genuine, dirty affairs - and
some duds inevitably got overhyped.
Smoking
Gun? More Evidence That Cheney Had Bigger Role in 'Plamegate'
Vice
President Dick Cheney may have had a larger hand in the Bush administration's
leaking of Valerie Plame's name to the press than originally thought.
Ortloff
Pleads Guilty in Connection with Sex Scandal
Former
New York Assemblyman Chris Ortloff has pleaded guilty to charges in connection
with a sex scandal.
Fairbanks
Catholic diocese receives complaints
The
Diocese of Fairbanks, which is under bankruptcy protection, received 288 claims
from people who said they had been molested by Roman Catholic clergy.
The
Buzz: Another governor scandal?
A
federal grand jury is investigating how a California firm that contributed to
the political activities of Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico - the Democratic
nominee to head the Commerce Department - won a lucrative government contract.
14
claim abuse by priests, monks, nuns
Fourteen
former students of what is now the Marty Indian School have accused Catholic
priests, monks, nuns and others of repeated sexual abuse.
UnitedHealth
settles with SEC in stock scandal
Health
insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc. settle a civil lawsuit from the Securities and
Exchange Commission related to a stock-options backdating scandal that enveloped
the company in 2007.
People:
Amy Winehouse tops scandal list
The
gossipmongers at FoxNews.com came up with these top celebrity scandals for 2008:
Dallas
City Hall Scandal Trial Delayed 6 Months
Instead
of next month, the trial will now begin at the end of June for former Mayor
Pro-Tem Don Hill, former Plan Commissioner D'Angelo Lee, developer Brian Potashnik
and nine others.
Where'd
the bailout money go? Shhhh, it's a secret
It's
something any bank would demand to know before handing out a loan: Where's the
money going? But after receiving billions in aid from U.S. taxpayers, the nation's
largest banks say they can't track exactly how they're spending the money or
they simply refuse to discuss it.
Bribe
nets Moultrie 16 months in Miss. Trial
Robert
Moultrie, the founder of The Facility Group, must serve 16 months in federal
prison for his guilty plea to a charge of paying an illegal gratuity to then-Gov.
Ronnie Musgrove in 2003.
Pastor
Accused Of Mortgage Fraud Scheme
An
arrest warrant was issued Thursday for a Denver minister accused of stealing
$80,000 through a mortgage fraud scheme that relied on false information to
get reduced interest rates.
SEC
fails investors again
Regulators
at the Securities and Exchange Commission were warned a decade ago that Madoff's
operation was a fraud. Over the years, repeated complaints about Madoff were
ignored by the SEC and other agencies and regulators.
Campaign
of terror at grade school
Upset
she had not received the class assignment she desired, Susan Romanyszyn planted
a series of threatening notes around Longstreth Elementary, where she taught
fourth grade.
U.S.
Lawmakers Get a Raise
Members
of Congress will soon have a bit more money in their wallets.
Cowdery
intends to plead guilty today
State
Sen. John Cowdery, elected to six terms in the Alaska Legislature and the state's
oldest active lawmaker, announced Thursday he intends to plead guilty Friday
to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and extortion.
Mount
Clemens postal worker accused of stealing gold
A
postal worker got caught when he stole gold from a mailed parcel and tried to
sell the gold to the same pawn shop that had sent the parcel, federal authorities
allege.
Lawmaker
hires lawyer as other alcohol-related incidents come to light
State
Representative Jeff Wood has apparently changed his mind about not hiring an
attorney for his drunken driving and marijuana case.
Wood
is due in court Jan 26 on possible charges of three-time OWI and marijuana possession.
Ex-schools
official is guilty
Together,
court papers say, former assistant Ecorse schools superintendent Douglas A.
Benit and his wife, Mary Ann Elam Benit, operated a $7.3-million scheme to defraud
the district and the U.S. government in a federally funded program to connect
low-income school systems to the Internet. And now both are expected to go to
prison early next year.
Police:
PTA Mom Caught Half-Naked in SUV With Boy
A
New York PTA official and a 13-year-old boy were allegedly caught in the back
seat of an SUV behind an elementary school, police said.
OPEC
Drastically Slashes World's Oil Flow
OPEC
announced Wednesday cuts of 2.2 million barrels a day from its output - the
largest ever at one time - to stem crude prices that have plummeted over 70
percent from summer highs of nearly $150.
Report
on DC Tax Office Scandal
An
independent review of the D.C. tax office scandal has concluded that manager
Harriette Walters was able to embezzle more than $48 million over two decades
largely because of a "culture of apathy and silence" in the office.
Morgan
Stanley Is One Bank That Cites a Loan From TARP Money
Banks
that were rescued with billions of dollars in public funds have, in most cases,
refused to provide specifics about how they have used or intend to use the money.
Convicted
former senator barred from state contracts
Maryland's
Board of Public Works voted today to bar convicted former state senator Thomas
Bromwell from receiving state contracts.
Former
credit union CEO charged with stealing
Federal
prosecutors say former River Valley Credit Union CEO Gary Ellis, of Newmarket,
N.H., took extra salary, bonuses and other payments over a four-year period
before his dismissal in 2005.
Sentencing
Set to Begin for Former CIETC Leaders
Ramona
Cunningham pleaded guilty to her role in a scam that involved spending more
than $1.5 million on executive bonuses and salaries. Cunningham was the CEO
at the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium.
Elder
in House of Yahweh sect gets 30 years for molesting girl
An
elder of a sect known as the House of Yahweh was sentenced to 30 years in prison
for molesting an 11-year-old girl during a phony cervical cancer exam.
The
sect's leader, Yisrayl Hawkins, faces trial next year on bigamy and child-labor
charges. He is accused of having more than 20 wives, performing polygamous weddings
and forcing about 40 children to work at his 44-acre compound in rural Clyde,
near Abilene. Hundreds of his followers have legally changed their last names
to Hawkins.
Former
Mayor Scandal Makes Time's 2008 List
Jailed
former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick snagged the No. 9 spot on Time magazine's
2008 Top Ten Scandals list.
Ex-UnitedHealth
CEO's Options Unfrozen
A
federal judge has lifted an injunction freezing millions of UnitedHealth options
held by the managed care company's former Chief Executive Dr. William McGuire.
Two
Indicted In Memphis Cafeteria Investigation
James
Jordan and Sheila Brown were each indicted by a state grand jury for theft of
services over $1,000; theft of property over $500; and two counts of official
misconduct.
Madoff
Scandal a Major Blow to Jewish Philanthropists, Charities
The
arrest on Thursday of Wall Street trader Bernard L. Madoff, who FBI agents say
defrauded investors of an estimated $50 billion, has had immediate consequences
in the Jewish philanthropic world.
Sen.
Craig loses appeal in airport sex sting case
Idaho
Sen. Larry Craig on Tuesday lost his latest attempt to withdraw his guilty plea
in a Minneapolis airport bathroom sex sting case, but said he's considering
another appeal.
Priest
Sex Abuse Case Should Go to Jury Today
The
fourth sex abuse trial involving the Burlington Diocese is expected to wrap
up today.
Al
Unser Jr. an extortion victim
The
New Mexico district attorney's office says auto racing great Al Unser Jr. has
been the victim of extortion in a prostitution scandal.
Alleged
Madoff fraud has worldwide exposure
The
list of investors who say they were duped in one of Wall Street’s biggest
Ponzi schemes is growing, snaring some of the world’s biggest banking
institutions and hedge funds, the super rich and the famous, pensioners and
charities.
Lye,
boric acid banned as food additives in China
China
has released a list of illegal food additives, including substances commonly
used as industrial dyes, insecticides and drain cleaners.
Indian
Americans linked to Illinois scandal
An
Indian American fund-raiser for the scandal- plagued Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
has come under the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s scanner as it probes
the governor’s attempt to “sell” or “trade” the
US Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder.
She
stole from the poor to give to herself
A
judge today sentenced a former Teaneck woman to seven years and three months
in prison for stealing more than $200,000 in funds from a federal nutrition
program she oversaw to pay for an ice cream maker, house cleaning services and
other personal expenses.
Ill.
officials issue fresh calls for resignation
A
handful of Illinois' top politicians called disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich incapacitated
Sunday, issuing fresh calls for his resignation as lawmakers gear up for a session
that could lead to his impeachment.
Wyeth
Paid Ghost Writers to Author Favorable Medical Journal Articles on its HRT Drugs
Documents
revealed by Sen. Charles Grassley's office show that the drug company Wyeth
paid ghost writers to author medical journal articles hyping up the benefits
of its HRT drug Prempro.
US:
Blackwater guards, including Rochester man, used grenades on unarmed Iraqis
Blackwater
Worldwide security guards opened machine gun fire on innocent, surrendering
Iraqis and launched a grenade into a girls' school during a gruesome Baghdad
shooting last year, prosecutors said Monday in announcing manslaughter charges
against five guards.
Ambulance
attendants accused of molesting patients
An
investigation by The Associated Press has uncovered that over the past 18 months,
at least 129 ambulance attendants across the U.S. have been accused of sex-related
crimes on duty or off.
Wal-Mart
pays $54 million to settle wage complaints
Wal-Mart
Stores Inc., the world’s biggest retailer, agreed to pay $54.3 million
to settle a Minnesota lawsuit over wages after a judge ruled the company broke
state laws by requiring employees to work off-the-clock.
Maryland
Couple Sentenced in DC Tax Scam
Prosecutors
say the fraudulent checks were part of a scheme led by former D.C. tax office
worker Harriette Walters, who stole money from the city through fake property
tax refunds.
Spirit
Creek sex investigation closed; 7 implicated
It
started with two, then there were four...now at least seven people are accused,
directly or indirectly, in a sex scandal at Spirit Creek Middle School. The
implicated range from the top down, including a principal, a former public safety
officer, a graduation coach, and several teachers.
Blackwater
Guards Indicted For Shooting
Five
Blackwater Worldwide security guards have been indicted and a sixth was negotiating
a plea with prosecutors for a 2007 shooting that left 17 Iraqis dead and became
an anti-American rallying cry for insurgents, people close to the case said
Friday.
Prince
William Gym Teacher Arrested
A
Prince William County gym teacher was arrested after two 16-year-old girls said
they were sexually abused by him.
FEMA
worker gets jail sentence
A
former FEMA worker who stole the identities of disaster victims to go on shopping
sprees - which a federal judge called "low down" - has been sentenced
to more than five years in federal prison.
Blagojevich
arrested, charged in Obama successor probe
Illinois
Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on charges he brazenly conspired to
sell or trade President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat to the highest
bidder as part of what federal prosecutors called a "political corruption
crime spree."
Report:
Gov. Blagojevich Taken Into Federal Custody
The
"Chicago Tribune" cited a source as saying the detainment occurred
at his home on Chicago's North Side this morning. There has been a multi-year
investigation into alleged corruption in Blagojevich's administration. There
have been allegations relating to state jobs, contracts and appointments regarding
the governor's fundraising.
Fossella
gets 5-day jail sentence for drunken driving
U.S.
Rep. Vito Fossella of New York was sentenced to five days in jail Monday for
a drunken-driving incident in Virginia that led to revelations he had fathered
a child from an extramarital affair.
O.J.
Simpson to serve at least nine years in prison
Former
gridiron great O.J. Simpson will serve at least nine years in prison for his
role in an armed confrontation with sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas
hotel in 2007.
Louisiana
Voters Oust Indicted Rep. Jefferson
Indicted
Democratic U.S. Rep. William Jefferson was ousted Saturday from his New Orleans
area district, while Republicans narrowly held on to the seat vacated by a retiring
incumbent.
More
Details Emerge About Night Giants' Burress Shot Himself
It started as a typical Friday night at the Latin Quarter: exclusive guest list,
$200 bottles of Moet champagne and well-dressed clientele lining up to pay a
$30 cover charge to party at the swank Manhattan club.
Firefighter
accused of sex abuse of two girls
Craig
Rawnsley, who lives in North Yarmouth, faces eight felony counts and four misdemeanor
counts under the indictments handed up by a grand jury in Cumberland County.
Taxpayers
out billions so far on bank holdings
Stock
intended to eventually earn taxpayers a profit as part of the Bush administration's
massive bank bailout has lost a third of its value — about $9 billion
— in barely one month, according to an Associated Press analysis. Shares
in virtually every bank that received federal money have remained below the
prices the government negotiated.
Decorated
Newton firefighter arrested
A
decorated Newton firefighter is facing his fourth charge of driving under the
influence charge, after police said he crashed a car into a tree last month.
Police
said Lt. Daniel Doherty, who smelled of marijuana, was charged with driving
under the influence of drugs (fourth offense), leaving the scene of property
damage and disorderly conduct.
Top
aide Carl Andrews leaving Paterson amid investigation to start consulting firm
Carl
Andrews, Gov. Paterson's deputy secretary for intergovernmental affairs and
a former Brooklyn state Senator, plans to start a lobbying and political consulting
firm.
Ex-Atlantic
City official sentenced for blackmail
Former
Atlantic City Council President Craig Callaway has been sentenced to three years
in prison for helping set up a political rival in a videotaped sex session.
Callaway
is already serving a 40-month federal sentence for bribery and Thursday's sentence
will be served at the same time.
Ex-priest
named in molestation suit
A
former St. Thomas More Parish priest molested an 11-year-old Munster boy in
2004, according to a lawsuit filed today against the Roman Catholic Diocese
of Gary.
Feds
Arrest Birmingham Mayor on Bribery Charges
The
mayor of Alabama's largest city, Larry Langford, was arrested Monday on federal
bribery and fraud charges connected to a multibillion-dollar sewer bond deal
that has driven the surrounding county to the brink of bankruptcy.
Mayor
Langford Indicted on 101 Federal Counts, Arrested
CBS
42 News has learned that Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford was arrested early
Monday morning on federal charges.
Fugitive
Ex-Beauvoir Teacher Indicted on Child Porn Charge
A
federal grand jury indicted a former Beauvoir Elementary School teacher Monday
on a charge of production of child pornography.
Eric
Justin Toth remains a fugitive. He was featured on "America's Most Wanted."
Ex-soccer
coach takes plea deal
A
former Santa Rosa youth soccer coach agreed to admit one count of sexual acts
with a teenage girl Monday, minutes before the girl was set to testify about
the details of the encounter at a preliminary hearing.
Ex-Detroit
mayoral aide pleads guilty in scandal
The
ex-chief of staff for former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has pleaded guilty
in their text-messaging sex scandal case and will serve 120 days in jail.
Trace
Of Melamine Found In US Infant Formula
Health
officials have detected traces of melamine in samples of infant formula put
on the market in the United States, an FDA spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
NBC's
military analysts
Among
the participants in the Pentagon program were NBC and MSNBC, which threw open
their studio doors to the Pentagon pundits without ever disclosing their closed-door
prep sessions with the pro-war administration.
Former
landfill official sentenced
A
former senior Wicomico County landfill official will serve a nine-month sentence
starting this week for funneling almost a half-million dollars in fuel and other
materials from the county facility to a private contractor.
Psych
Drug Maker Paid Massachusetts General Hospital to Build Child Psychiatry Research
Center, Push Psych Drugs
It's
the latest financial scandal involving Big Pharma's under-the-table pushing
of psychiatric drugs, and this time, a Massachusetts hospital is apparently
on the take.
Massachusetts
General Hospital took millions of dollars from Johnson & Johnson, makers
of Risperdal, a psychotropic drug used to alter the brains of children. In an
apparent return the favor, the hospital stated it would "move forward the
commercial goals of J&J," which is about as blatant an admission of
guilt as anyone should need to arrest these conspirators for bribery and fraud.
LIQUORGATE,
ANYONE?
Was
political pressure behind the State Liquor Authority's recent decision to let
two upscale Manhattan restaurateurs - and convicted tax-evaders - keep their
liquor licenses?
As
The Post first reported on Monday, SLA Chairman Daniel Boyle says that former
state Sen. Carl Andrews, now a top aide to Gov. Paterson, pressured him to vote
against revoking licenses from the Cipriani chain of restaurants in August.
Insurer
won't pay Duke lacrosse players
Duke
University's insurer has refused to pay any of the settlement between the school
and any of the players involved in the Duke lacrosse scandal.
Judge
spares Bonds of five counts
A
federal judge has set the stage for the perjury case against former San Francisco
Giants slugger Barry Bonds to move forward, leaving intact most of the felony
charges accusing him of lying to a grand jury about using steroids.
Former
PUC workers sued in bribe case
Two
employees with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission took thousands
of dollars in kickbacks to steer city business to a plumbing contractor, City
Attorney Dennis Herrera said Monday in a lawsuit.
FBI
expose Philadelphia news readers' secrets in 'anchorbabe scandal'
The
egos and libidos of America’s elaborately groomed TV news anchors have
been revealed in excruciating detail by an e-mail snooping case that finally
came to an end yesterday with one of them placed under house arrest.
Ex-Bellevue
Exec Admits Accepting Bribes
The
former executive director of Bellevue Hospital has pleaded guilty to accepting
bribes while serving in the position. As a result of his plea, Carlos Perez,
will forfeit $25,000 and will be sentenced to five years of probation.
Turner:
‘Meet me at 2:30’ on the steps of City Hall
Embattled
Roxbury City Councilor Chuck Turner arrived at City Hall this morning to a crush
of cameras and reporters and vowed to defend himself, just as he did on Friday
following his arrest on corruption charges.
Govt
pays millions for unapproved drugs
Taxpayers
have shelled out at least $200 million since 2004 for medications that have
never been reviewed by the government for safety and effectiveness but are still
covered under Medicaid, an Associated Press analysis of federal data has found.
As
Bush's Term Ends, Some Big Names Seek Pardons
With
a backlog of applications piled up at the Justice Department, high-profile criminals
and their well-connected lawyers increasingly are appealing directly to President
Bush for special consideration on pardons and clemency, according to people
involved in the process.
Disgraced
pastor returns, as Christian businessman
Earlier
this month, a guest took the pulpit at Open Bible Fellowship in Morrison, Ill.,
a 350-member church surrounded by cornfields. The speaker was an insurance salesman
from Colorado named Ted Haggard.
The
former superstar pastor, disgraced two years ago in a sex-and-drugs scandal,
had returned — this time as a Christian businessman preaching a message
that was equal parts contrition and defiance. Haggard linked his fall to being
molested in second grade and apologized again.
Beacon
Hill - a slippery slope of scandals
Fall
has been an unhappy season of scandal at the Massachusetts Statehouse.
The
usually collegial and staid Senate has seen two of its members charged with
felonies and forced to resign this month.
Napolitano
is no stranger to Washington scandals
President-elect
Barack Obama's likely pick for Homeland Security secretary, Arizona Gov. Janet
Napolitano, is no stranger to headline-making Washington scandals and controversies.
Former
Hill aide pleads guilty to hiding gifts
Trevor
L. Blackann pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to lying on his 2003
tax returns.
Mass.
Sen. Dianne Wilkerson resigns in wake of bribery charges
Massachusetts
state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson resigned from office Wednesday, a day after being
indicted on eight federal counts of attempted extortion for allegedly accepting
$23,500 in bribes from undercover agents she thought were businessmen.
Charges
added to indictment of Congressman Renzi
A
racketeering charge and other counts have been added to an indictment against
Arizona Congressman Rick Renzi.
Among
other things, Renzi was originally charged with engineering a swap of federally
owned mining land to benefit himself and a former business partner.
Prescription
drugs cited in Locklear DUI charge
Prosecutors
in Santa Barbara have charged Heather Locklear with misdemeanor driving under
the influence, citing prescription drugs.
WellCare
can't file quarterly financial reports
WellCare
Health Plans, already under investigation by far too many state and federal
agencies, has reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission that it will
be unable to file past quarterly financial reports. This latest news only raises
further questions about the company's future viability, which was rocked by
scandal since federal agents raided its head in October 2007.
Banned
firms got new U.S. contracts in Iraq
A
firm suspended from U.S. government contracts for allegedly bribing Army officers
was awarded a new contract in Iraq two days after the suspension was imposed,
government investigators found. The Pentagon paid the suspended company more
than $1 million under the new contract.
Wilkerson
says she can't afford a lawyer
Embattled
state Senator Dianne Wilkerson has asked a federal magistrate judge for a court-appointed
lawyer, saying she cannot afford to pay an attorney to defend her against charges
that she took $23,500 in bribes.
In
a two-sentence motion filed late Friday, Wilkerson asked US Magistrate Judge
Timothy S. Hillman to appoint Max D. Stern as a taxpayer-funded lawyer.
Ex-state
NJ Sen. Bryant guilty on all counts
Former
New Jersey state Sen. Wayne Bryant has been convicted of bribery and fraud.
The
once powerful Camden County Democrat was accused of being paid for a job that
required no work at a scandal-ridden state university in exchange for securing
state funding for it.
Denver
Teacher Charged In Student Sex Scandal
A
27-year-old Sheridan High School teacher accused of having a sexual encounter
with a male student has been formally charged and suspended from her job.
County
parks employee arrested in bribe investigation
Fresno
County sheriff's detectives have arrested an employee of the county's Parks
and Recreation department for taking bribes from four people on probation who
were assigned to work crews at Kearney Park.
June
trial set for ex-Marmaduke superintendent
Jerry
Don McIntosh was indicted in May for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
He's accused of conspiring with two bus drivers - Ray Mike Graham and James
Mark Graham - to defraud the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System.
Ex-San
Francisco supervisor Ed Jew pleads guilty to perjury
Former
San Francisco Supervisor Ed Jew pleaded guilty today in San Francisco Superior
Court to one count of perjury for lying about his place of residence on documents
he filed while running for office in 2006.
Former
San Francisco Pleads Guilty to Perjury
Ed
Jew was charged with perjury, elections code violations, voter fraud and filing
false documents for claiming to live in the sunset neighborhood when he ran
for the District 4 seat.
In
a separate federal case, Jew pleaded guilty last month to charges of extortion,
mail fraud and soliciting a $40,000 bribe from the owners of several tapioca
drink shops in return for help obtaining city permits.
Truck-driving
tester sentenced in West Plains fraud case
The
tester employed by a now-defunct West Plains truck driving school was sentenced
today in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to provide fraudulent commercial
driver’s licenses to large numbers of Somali and Bosnian nationals, according
to a news release from John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western
District of Missouri.
Priest
apologizes for ordering car with Obama stickers removed
A
Fairfield priest who had asked for a car with several Obama for President stickers
to be removed from the church parking lot a week ago apologized today to churchgoers
for his outburst.
The
Rev. Sebastian Meyer, pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, read
an apology at all the church's Masses "for the poor judgment I showed in
expressing myself."
Fire
captain will be tried over fatal hit-and-run
A
high ranking county firefighter pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges stemming
from a 2005 fatal hit-and-run accident.
Konrad
Kala Mossman, a Pahala Fire Station captain, is charged with leaving the scene
of an accident that caused the death of Dale Kanani Tim Sing on Aug. 4, 2005,
a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Marzilli
resigns his seat in Senate
State
Senator James Marzilli abruptly resigned his Senate seat yesterday, four months
after he was indicted on charges of accosting four women in downtown Lowell.
The
ACORN mess: A scandal grows
ACORN
is being investigated by the federal government and is suspected of perpetuating
a massive nationwide voter registration fraud. But before all those nuts hit
the fan, ACORN had a giant internal scandal: Founder Wade Rathke kept from the
group's board the fact that his brother, Dale, had embezzled more than $1 million
from ACORN a decade ago.
Firefighter
Charged With Arson
Firefighters
are expected to put out the fires, not start them, but that wasn't the case
with 42-year old Michael D. Murphy of Huntington, Md.
Firefighter
Charged With Setting Restaurant Fire On Way To Work
A
19-year veteran of the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department has been charged
with setting a fire on his way to work.
Ex-NJ
senator's corruption trial to go to jury
For
eight weeks, the panel has heard testimony about whether former state Sen. Wayne
Bryant broke any laws with a job at the University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey.
Federal prosecutors say Bryant's job was really a bribe to encourage him to
secure more funding for the school. He's also accused of using another public
job -- for the Gloucester County Board of Social Services -- to improperly pad
his pension.
Former
DC tax clerk sentenced for mortgage fraud
A
federal judge has sentenced a former D.C. tax office worker to three years probation
in a mortgage fraud scandal.
N.J.
grocery exec sentenced for tax evasion
Prosecutors
say he underreported his income by $2.4 million to evade nearly $860,000 in
taxes.
AG
Investigates Boss' Failure To Pay Workers Health Insurance Premiums
Just
days after it closed, Winthrop Printing's 70 employees received a letter from
their health insurance company, Harvard Pilgrim, informing them their health
insurance had been terminated as of May 4, 2008 due to non-payment.
Several
employees showed original pay stubs to Team 5 Investigates, confirming that
their bosses had been deducting the employees' contribution toward health care
from paychecks until June 28, 2008, the day Winthrop Printing closed. It remains
unclear where that money is now.
U.S.
congressman breaks silence on sex scandal
Even
today, two years after Mark Foley's very public fall from grace, the former
congressman can't explain why he sent lurid, sexually explicit computer messages
to male teens who had worked as Capitol Hill pages.
Priest:
No communion for Obama supporters
A
South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should
refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because
the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes
material cooperation with intrinsic evil."
Judge
orders Draper to start repayments in beef case
James
A. Draper, a Tennessee man found guilty in the Mississippi Beef Processors scandal,
has been ordered to pay $187,725 in restitution to the State Auditor's Office.
In
July, he was found guilty of defrauding the state and laundering that amount
through his own personal account in 2002 in connection with claims about equipment
purchases for the facility in Yalobusha County.
Lawyer
releases deposition by Weakland in fraud case
A
lawyer this morning released portions of a video deposition taken in June of
retired Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert Weakland in which Weakland acknowledges
that he had returned abusive priests to church ministry without alerting parishioners.
Feds
seek Mongo records in Kilpatrick political funds probe
A
federal grand jury has subpoenaed records from Detroit political consultant
Adolph Mongo that would show whether he was paid by, or did work for, one of
ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s political and nonprofit funds.
New
probe in Chauncey politics
Agents
with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification & Investigation interviewed
the Chauncey mayor and several Village Council members last week, examining
an allegation that the council president tried to bribe the mayor of the Athens
County community by offering her $2,000 to resign.
Closing
arguments begin in ex-NJ senator's trial
At
the peak of his political power, Wayne Bryant could have had a sign above his
door that read "senator for hire," a federal prosecutor told jurors
Wednesday as he delivered his closing argument in Bryant's corruption trial.
Man
sentenced in 9/11 fraud case
A
former Greenwich man who credited himself and his golden retriever Bear with
recovering bodies at the World Trade Center after Sept. 11, 2001, has been sentenced
to eight months in federal prison after his conviction for fraudulently obtaining
thousands of dollars in government relief funds, according to court records.
Wish
I was kidding
Fed
Concealing Information On $1.5 Trillion In Loans; Bloomberg Files Lawsuit
Bloomberg
had asked the Fed to see documents concerning the collateral the Fed accepts
in exchange for freshly digitized credit in its bailouts. The Federal Reserve
first insisted a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request and then said the
data required is from the Fed New York which does not fall under the FOIA.
Trial
date set for Castroneves
Race
car driver Helio Castroneves will stand trial in March in Miami federal court
on tax evasion charges.
Former
principal arrested in rape case
A
former principal of a private Christian school who is accused of sexually assaulting
a student has been ordered jailed after the girl told detectives he's been sending
her text messages.
N.J.
Councilman Arrested For Peeing on Crowd
New
Jersey Councilman Steven Lipski has been arrested for urinating on a crowd of
concert goers at Washington's 9:30 club Saturday night, the New York Daily News
reports.
Police
say former state lawmaker was using drugs behind bar
Former
state Rep. Nick Stepovich, a businessman who remains active in Republican Party
politics, was arrested early Saturday morning behind a bar in downtown Fairbanks.
Marilla's
Losses Include $10,700 in Work Hours
As
details surface about the scandal at the Town of Marilla Highway Department,
it is becoming clearer that some town officials and workers had knowledge, before
his February arrest, of the criminal actions committed or organized by the late
David Pierce during his term as Marilla Highway superintendent.
Rep.
Kino Flores under investigation
Travis
County prosecutors are investigating state Rep. Kino Flores, D-Palmview, on
suspicion of accepting discounted airfare from campaign contributors, his attorney
confirmed Friday.
Ex-New
York governor avoids charges in call girl scandal
Former
New York governor Eliot Spitzer escaped charges Thursday in the high-priced
call girl scandal that brought him down earlier this year.
Conroy
gets more money in Steel Point case
What
had been a $366,524 jury award in the Steel Point corruption case just quadrupled.
Former
DMV worker on
trial for fraud
A
former clerk for the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles is on trial for
creating phony driver's licenses in exchange for cash.
Bonds
wants federal charges dropped
Barry
Bonds wants a U.S. judge in California to dismiss most of the charges he faces
from the steroids scandal, the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News reported.
IRS
employee charged with bribery, stealing refund
An
IRS employee in Las Vegas has been charged with accepting a bribe in exchange
for preparing a false audit report for a taxpayer and stealing another taxpayer's
federal income tax refund and economic stimulus check.
D.C.
Clerk Goes to Trial on Bribery, Extortion Charges
Ikela
Dean, a former D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs worker, went
on trial Tuesday for bribery and extortion charges in U.S. District Court.
Sen.
Wilkerson Not Stepping Down Immediately
State
Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, who was photographed by the FBI allegedly stuffing bribe
money under her sweater, says she's not resigning immediately, saying she wants
an orderly transition.
Scandal
on the Congressional Campaign Trail: Who Survived?
Scandal
took its toll on members across both sides of the isle in the 2008 election.
Former
N.C. Asst. Principal Pleads Guilty to Sex Charges
A
former North Carolina assistant principal has pleaded guilty to in appropriately
touching a student on school property.
Stars
& Bars: Mugshots of the rich and infamous
Yuba
CPS worker took $10,000 bribe, Placer sheriff's office says
Yolanda
Perez Fryson was arrested Thursday in Rocklin on suspicion of extortion, accepting
a bribe as a public official and possession of stolen property, according to
a release from the Placer County Sheriff's Department.
At
WaMu, a loan factory
"At
WaMu it wasn't about the quality of the loans; it was about the numbers,"
Cooper says. "They didn't care if we were giving loans to people that didn't
qualify. Instead, it was how many loans did you guys close and fund?"
Ethics
Complaint Filed Against Palin
Gov.
Sarah Palin, R-AK, is again under fire for charging the state for her children
to travel with her while conducing official state business. Friday, Retired
Anchorage electrical lineman Frank Gwartney filed an ethics complaint against
Palin with Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg. Gwartney says he filed this
complaint because he is sick of corruption in Alaska.
Feds
allege Melton attempted to bribe officers
The
federal government's legal team is taking an aggressive stance against Jackson
Mayor Frank Melton.
Mass.
senator charged with bribery ends campaign
The
Massachusetts state senator who was photographed by the FBI allegedly stuffing
bribe money under her sweater ended her write-in campaign for re-election on
Friday.
Band
Director Accused Of Sex With Her Student
A
high school band director in Orange County has been charged with having sex
with one of her students.
Ex-Niles
mayor pleads guilty in kickback scheme
Nicholas
Blase, the former mayor of Niles, pleaded guilty Friday to pocketing in excess
of $420,000 in a kickback scheme that spanned more than three decades.
Band
director resigns after indecent exposure arrest
Choctawhatchee
High School band director Randy Nelson resigned late Thursday after he was arrested
for indecent exposure.
3
Sentenced in New Orleans School Probe
A
corruption probe of the Orleans Parish School Board has resulted in prison terms
for a former school official, a contractor and the owner of an insurance agency.
Nurse
Arrested For Leaving Elderly Patients Unattended
Pinellas
County deputies say Epifania V. Fitzgerald put one of the patients at an assisted
living facility in charge and left. When she returned 2 1/2 hours later, authorities
were there.
Waves
of scandal rattle Beacon Hill
Senator
Dianne Wilkerson seemed to think last week that her Senate colleagues would
go easy on her. And she had reason. All her past indiscretions had been overlooked,
and the collegial body that meets in a powder-blue room with cushy chairs has
never tried to oust one of its own before a conviction for a crime.
Health
Care Exec Guilty In $1.9B Fraud Case
A
federal jury in Ohio has convicted a former health care financing executive
in a $1.9 billion fraud case likened to the Enron or WorldCom scandals.
State
Dept. warns of possible identity theft
The
State Department said Friday it has warned nearly 400 passport applicants of
a security breach in its records system that may have left them open to identity
theft.
DC
Sues Bank For $105 Million
Mayor
Adrian Fenty announced the District of Columbia is suing Bank of America for
$105 million dollars. The bank was the primary financial institution used by
Harriette Walters. She is the former tax office manager who admitted to stealing
$48 million over 20 years.
Shadow
Senator Asked to Resign Following DWI Arrest
The
D.C. Republican Party has called for the resignation of shadow Sen. Paul Strauss
after he was arrested for driving drunk on Oct. 1.
Agriprocessors
Manager Arrested in Deepening Kosher Meat Scandal
The
former plant manager of Agriprocessors, Inc., the nation's largest kosher meatpacking
plant, has been arrested on federal conspiracy charges.
Former
pastor found guilty of indecency
Rodolfo
Sosa was convicted on all counts against him — five counts of indecency
with a child by contact and one of indecency with a child by exposure. He faces
up to 20 years on each indecency by contact charge and up to 10 years on the
remaining charge.
Feds
Allege Melton’s Past ‘Crimes,’ Including Bribery
U.S.
Department of Justice attorneys served notice yesterday that they plan to detail
Mayor Frank Melton’s “other crimes” and “wrongs”
in his upcoming trial for allegedly leading police and teenage friends to destroy
a duplex at 1305 Ridgeway Street on Aug. 26, 2006. That evidence will include
Melton’s destruction of other houses, ordering of police officers to kick
in a hotel door, filling out a false arrest warrant for Albert “Batman”
Donelson and an attempt to bridge two police officers with promotions.
House
joins probe into agri fund scam
With
Jocelyn Bolante, the alleged mastermind behind the $728-million fertilizer fund,
now back in the country, the House of Representatives said it would now join
the fray in investigating the scandal.
Anniston
architect indicted in 2-year college case
An
Anniston architect has been indicted on conspiracy, bribery and obstruction
of justice charges in the ongoing investigation of Alabama's two-year college
system.
Wilkerson's
campaign to respond to bribery allegations
Senator
Dianne Wilkerson's campaign is planning to respond this afternoon to the FBI's
allegations that she took eight bribes totaling $23,500 to secure a liquor license
and pave the way for a towering Roxbury development.
U.S.
Indicts Alleged Accomplice of Fundraiser Rezko
William
F. Cellini, an Illinois Republican Party leader, was indicted by a U.S. prosecutor
for his alleged role in the fraud scheme that led to the conviction of Antoin
``Tony'' Rezko, a former fundraiser for Barack Obama's U.S. and state senate
campaigns.
Towson
High teacher charged in sex-abuse case
A
59-year-old Towson High School teacher has been charged with sexually abusing
a girl in Baltimore, according to court documents. Bernard Wenker was indicted
Friday on sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree assault charges.
Sentencing
Set for D.C. Tax Office Scam Mastermind
A
former District of Columbia tax office manager convicted of embezzling nearly
$50 million from the city's treasury will be sentenced in March.
Harriette
Walters pleaded guilty last month to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money
laundering and tax evasion. She faces up to 18 years in prison and paying restitution.
Stevens
secured $2.7 million for friend's road
Just
0.7 miles long, Crow Creek Road isn't a road to nowhere. It runs straight to
the Double Musky Inn, a Cajun bistro owned by a Bob Persons, a close friend
of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens.
Palin
faces ethics complaint over kids' travel
A
new ethics complaint against Sarah Palin accuses the Alaska governor of charging
the state when her children traveled with her.
The
Associated Press reported this month that Palin charged the state more than
$21,000 for her three daughters' commercial flights since she became governor
in December 2006. She later ordered changes to travel forms to specify official
business on the trips.
Wenona
official faces indictment
Wenona
City Administrator William R. Simmons has been indicted on a felony official
misconduct charge for allegedly interfering with a traffic citation written
by a Wenona police officer.
Former
Principal Found In Motel Room With Teens Sentenced
A
former high school principal found in a motel room with two teenage girls has
been sentenced to one year in the House of Correction.
Jury
awards woman $568,000 in case against Progressive Select Insurance
Michelle
Lorenzo sued Progressive Select Insurance after the company failed to pay her
claim despite her policy having uninsured motorist coverage.
DWP
'Knowingly' Overcharged Customers for 10 Years
Don't
worry (yet), the DWP's overcharging scandal only involves governmental customers
such as Metro, LA County and LA Unified School District. "The Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power had been imposing illegal and unjustified overcharges
on their governmental customers for several years," said Attorney General
Brown in a statement. "The L.A. school district and the other governmental
agencies desperately need every available dollar in these hard economic times."
A total of $160 million will be refunded to the agencies.
Former
Official Pleads Guilty in Wicomico Landfill Thefts
Kenneth
L. Townsend of Salisbury pleaded guilty Monday to theft-scheme
more than $500. He was superintendent of the landfill and one of five people
charged in a theft ring that allegedly stole more than $430,000 in fuel, automotive
parts and truck tires.
FORMER
TRACK STAR MONTGOMERY GETS 5 YEARS FOR HEROIN CHARGES
Disgraced
former Olympic track star Tim Montgomery, once dubbed "the world's fastest
man," was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for dealing heroin to
an informant.
Uses
for $700B Bailout Money Keep Changing
First,
the $700 billion rescue for the economy was about buying devalued mortgage-backed
securities from tottering banks to unclog frozen credit markets.
Bidding
process for Palin's pipeline was flawed
Gov.
Sarah Palin's signature accomplishment — a contract to build a 1,715-mile
pipeline to bring natural gas from Alaska to the Lower 48 — emerged from
a flawed bidding process that narrowed the field to a company with ties to her
administration, an Associated Press investigation shows.
Former
Mount Vernon DPW official gets prison in $1.25 mill. trash hauling scam
A
former supervisor in the Mount Vernon Department of Public Works was sentenced
to five years in prison for taking part in an allegedly mob-connected scheme
to overbill the city for waste removal.
Bryant's
UMDNJ dean not rewarded for funding
A
former medical school dean accused of hiring former State Sen. Wayne Bryant
for his influence on the state budget did not receive personnel evaluations
based on his ability to bring taxpayer money to the school, according to testimony
yesterday.
Marine
Products Supply Firm Pleads Guilty For Participating in Conspiracy to Commit
Bribery
The
Justice Department announced Thursday that a marine products supply firm pleaded
guilty and agreed to pay a criminal fine for participating in a conspiracy to
commit bribery.
Former
Teacher Charged in Sex Scandal
CBS
21 News has confirmed that state police filed charges late Thursday against
42-year-old Michael Calnon in connection with a months-long investigation.
Calnon
is facing a slew of charges, incluing corruption of minors, unlawful contact
with a minor and indecent assault.
Fireman's
sex trial begins with bombshell
A
prosecutor told jurors today that a volunteer Hawthorne firefighter sexually
assaulted a girl he knew for nine years -- including an encounter at the firehouse
itself -- beginning when she was 9 years old.
Basketball
coach faces sex charges
A
man who was a summer league basketball coach has been charged with having sex
with three teenage girls, two of whom were on his team.
Investors
'stuck' high and dry in WexTrust fraud case
The
Securities and Exchange Commission charged in August that WexTrust and two of
its owners operated a Ponzi-type scheme by promising unusually high returns
to earlier investors and paying them with money raised from later investors
...
Conn.
lawmaker quits over old abuse claims
A
Connecticut state legislator has resigned following revelations he paid $100,000
to a woman who claims he molested her 30 years ago when she was a teenager.
State
Rep. George Wilber, a Democrat, has never faced criminal charges ...
Republicans
spent $150,000 on Sarah Palin's clothes
The
Republican Party has spent $150,000 in upmarket designer stores on dressing
Sarah Palin for the part of vice-president.
Miss
Louisiana Teen USA Lindsey Evans Stripped of Her Crown With 10 Days to Go
Oh
Lindsay Evans, just because you’re Miss Louisiana Teen USA doesn’t
mean you’re above the law. Hot chicks get arrested all the time! Don’t
they teach you common sense in the South?
Jesuit
School Sheltered Molesters, Groups Say
Two
Roman Catholic priests who until recently lived on the campus of Fordham Preparatory
School in the Bronx sexually abused teenagers there in the 1960s and ’70s,
two groups that advocate for sex-abuse victims.
Former
public guardian is found guilty
A
jury Tuesday found Juanita Browne guilty of 15 felonies and one misdemeanor
charge in connection with her involvement in the Ventura County Public Guardian
Office.
Feeding
The Machine
A
Quick Look At Who Gives To, And Who Benefits From, Bill Mason's Campaign Treasury
Phipps
testifies in former lawmaker's corruption trial
Businessman
Steve Phipps testified today in the corruption trial of former state Rep. Randall
Erwin that he paid Erwin a $6,000 bribe.
Paterson
aide to release five years of records when he didn't pay taxes
Gov.
David Paterson's top aide will publicly release records about a five-year period
when he did not file federal and state income tax returns, the governor said
today.
Friend:
Stevens 'gets hysterical' at spending own money
A
recorded phone call from one of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens' longtime friends kicked
off the prosecution's closing arguments Tuesday in the Alaska lawmaker's corruption
trial.
"Ted
gets hysterical when he has to spend his own money," Bob Persons told a
mutual friend in the recording, which was played for jurors by Joe Bottini,
the assistant U.S. attorney for Alaska.
Bryant
defense calls 11 witnesses today
Eleven
witnesses took the stand Tuesday morning as attorneys for former state Sen.
Wayne Bryant resumed the defense they began late Monday.
Among
the charges against Bryant is that he attempted to defraud the state pension
system by claiming work done by associates for the Gloucester County board as
his own.
Ex-Orange
Mayor Mims Hackett to be sentenced for bribery
Former
Orange Mayor Mims Hackett is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court today
for accepting a $5,000 bribe and bilking taxpayers by filing phony receipts
for travel expenses.
Kelty
admits guilt, skirts jail
After
more than a year maintaining his innocence, former mayoral candidate Matt Kelty
admitted Monday to lying to a grand jury and filing bogus campaign finance reports.
Sen.
Stevens may have misused staff
Sen.
Ted Stevens admitted during his corruption trial that he used his Senate staff
for personal duties, a possible violation of ethics rules according to experts.
During
his trial, Stevens and his wife Catherine admitted under oath that one of his
aides coordinated the couple's finances, paid their bills and helped monitor
the home remodeling project central to the charges against him.
Freddie
Mac Secretly Paid Lobbyist To KO Bill
Freddie
Mac secretly paid a Republican consulting firm $2 million to kill legislation
that would have regulated and trimmed the mortgage finance giant and its sister
company, Fannie Mae, three years before the government took control to prevent
their collapse.
NH
city clerk accused of protecting relative
The
city clerk in Manchester, N.H., has been charged with protecting a relative
who allegedly stole $90 from the city.
An
indictment charges Clerk Carol Johnson with two counts of official oppression,
a misdemeanor.
U.S.
Close to $1 Trillion Deficit: Now What?
That
would be a record in today's dollars – and would represent the highest
level of federal red ink as a share of the overall economy of any US budget
since the 1940s. For each household, this year's deficit would pile on an extra
$8,620 of federal debt.
Fossella
Convicted of Drunken Driving
A
judge has convicted U.S. Rep. Vito Fossella, R-NY, of drunken driving and will
later decide if he should serve time in jail.
DWI
trial of Staten Island's Fossella begins today
After
two postponements, Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island-Brooklyn) will go on
trial this morning to face drunken-driving charges that led to the revelation
he fathered a child with a Virginia woman during an extramarital affair.
New
York Yankees Pitcher Joba Chamberlain Arrested for DUI
New
York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain was arrested for allegedly driving under
the influence, speeding and having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle.
Indicted
Ariz. congressman wants case dismissed
Lawyers
for U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi have asked a federal judge to dismiss corruption charges
against him or bar prosecutors from using evidence gathered by the FBI, alleging
that agents violated his constitutional rights as a congressman.
Manzo
testifies before grand jury
For
several hours yesterday, the former chief of staff to the highest-ranking Democrat
in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives testified before a grand jury investigating
whether public dollars were illegally used for campaign purposes.
IMF
Investigates Chief's Relationship With Ex-Employee
The
International Monetary Fund, a key institution in the global financial crisis,
has hired a law firm to investigate whether its chief had an improper relationship
with a female employee.
Allegations
regarding IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn's relationship with the
employee were first brought to the attention of the dean of the fund's executive
board, A. Shakour Shaalan, this summer ...
FEMA
blamed for slow housing response to Ike
Officials
say families continue living in tents and sleeping in cars more than a month
after the storm.
New
York official seeks to recover AIG bonuses
Recently
bailed out by the federal government, AIG is afloat only because of billions
of dollars in government loans. With more and more taxpayer money committed,
lawmakers and others have expressed outrage about high pay in general at financial
firms and in particular at some of the perks that have come to light at AIG.
Election
star "Joe the Plumber" lacks license
After
Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama made him into the most famous
plumber in America, it turns out Joe Wurzelbacher isn't a licensed plumber after
all. Oh, and his real name is Sam.
ODOT
stripper scandal unveiled
Rogue
employees at an Ohio Department of Transportation office near Cleveland dished
out more than $11 million in contracts to vendors who repaid them with fishing
trips, Las Vegas hotel rooms and sex with strippers, an investigative report
found yesterday.
ODOT
sex scandal revealed
Sex
in a minivan parked in a state-owned garage.
Payments
to strippers for sexual favors and at least one attempted breast augmentation.
Gifts
and gratuities, even "wads of cash," for steering public contracts
to specified vendors.
Top
Pa. Democratic aide in Bonusgate scandal appears before grand jury
Mike
Manzo, a former top House Democratic aide, appeared before a grand jury in Harrisburg
this morning, a week after he gave explosive testimony in open court implicating
his onetime boss, Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, in the Bonusgate scandal.
FBI
LAUNCHES ACORN PROBE
The
FBI has launched an investigation into ACORN, the scandal-scarred activist group
that is facing accusations of voter-registration fraud across the country.
Investigations
Continue in Grade Changing Scandal
Leaders
at Fresno Unified want some answers about the controversy around the point changing
scandal at Edison High. It involves a high school football player whose math
grade may have been changed to keep him on the team.
MMDA
enforcer faces multiple raps
A
Metro Manila Development Authority enforcer is facing multiple charges for allegedly
extorting money from a vendor, punching a policeman who arrested him, and going
amuck at a Quezon City police station.
Rights
leader sentenced to 15 years for incest
A
one-time top lieutenant to Martin Luther King Jr. was sentenced Wednesday to
15 years in prison for having sex more than a decade ago with his then-teenage
daughter.
UPDATE:
Attorney: Ex-lawmaker negotiating plea in bribery investigation
A
defense attorney for former state Rep. Mark Walker says he is negotiating a
plea agreement to a misdemeanor charge of violating a state election law.
Study:
Bottled Water Has Contaminants Too
Tests
on leading brands of bottled water turned up a variety of contaminants often
found in tap water, according to a study released Wednesday by an environmental
advocacy group.
Bailed-out
AIG defends English hunting trip
A
handful of top executives from American International Group Inc. spent thousands
of dollars during a recent English hunting trip, even as the New York-based
insurer asked for an additional $37.8 billion loan from the Federal Reserve.
Magoffin
County official arrested in sex sting
Lexington
police charged an eastern Kentucky official in an Internet sex case.
WKYT-TV
reported the arrest of Magoffin County Deputy Judge-Executive Walter Edward
Hardin.
Cops:
Texas teacher offered better grade for sex
A
teacher initially placed on leave over a book controversy has been charged with
trying to have sexual contact with three students, allegedly even asking one
girl what she would do for a better grade.
Kaleb Tierce, 26, was indicted Thursday on three counts of attempted improper
relationship between educator and student, a third-degree felony punishable
by two to 10 years in prison.
Congressman's
$121,000 Payoff to Alleged Mistress
West
Palm Beach Congressman Tim Mahoney (D-FL), whose predecessor resigned in the
wake of a sex scandal, agreed to a $121,000 payment to a former mistress who
worked on his staff and was threatening to sue him, according to current and
former members of his staff who have been briefed on the settlement, which involved
Mahoney and his campaign committee.
Report
is Out; Finds Palin Abused Power in Firing Walt Monegan
A
legislative committee investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has found she unlawfully
abused her authority in firing the state's public safety commissioner. The investigative
report concludes that a family grudge wasn't the sole reason for firing Public
Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan but says it likely was a contributing factor.
The Republican vice presidential nominee has been accused of firing a commissioner
to settle a family dispute.
Ethics
probe: Witness stands by story she was offered cash for voucher vote
Former
Rep. Susan Lawrence appeared Wednesday before a House Ethics Committee to describe
an encounter with Rep. Greg Hughes in which she claims Hughes offered her $50,000
in campaign aid if she would support a plan for private school vouchers.
Witness:
Ex-Sen. Bryant Changed Course On Funding
Former
State Sen. Wayne R. Bryant agreed to pay for some reforms to the state's child
welfare system in 2004 only after he learned that some of the money would benefit
his employer, a witness at Bryant's corruption trial said.
In
Dozens of Calls, Palins and Aides Pressed for Trooper’s Removal
The
2007 state fair was days away when Alaska’s public safety commissioner,
Walt Monegan, took another call about one of his troopers, Michael Wooten. This
time, the director of Gov. Sarah Palin’s Anchorage office was on the line.
City
College misused funds, probe finds
The
financial transactions, made at the direction of then-Chancellor Philip Day
in 2006, appear to have violated state laws against misusing taxpayers' funds
and concealing the true source of political donations ...
Fed
Grants AIG Additional $37.8 Billion Loan
The
Federal Reserve on Wednesday agreed to provide insurance giant American International
Group Inc. with a loan of up to $37.8 billion, on top of one made to the troubled
company last month.
ACORN
office in Vegas raided in voter-fraud probe
Nevada
state authorities are raiding the Las Vegas headquarters of an organization
that works to get low-income people to vote.
State
reviewing per diem payments to Palin
Gov.
Sarah Palin's practice of charging the state when she stays in her home must
be reviewed to determine if she should pay taxes on the payments, state Finance
Director Kim Garnero said Tuesday.
Palin,
the Republican vice presidential nominee, released two years' worth of tax returns
last week that did not list the per diem payments she received since becoming
Alaska governor in December 2006.
AIG
Hid Risky Practices, Documents Show
Executives
at American International Group Inc. hid the full range of its risky financial
products from auditors as losses mounted, according to documents released Tuesday
by a congressional panel examining the chain of events that forced the government
to bail out the conglomerate.
After
Bailout, AIG Execs Head to California Resort
Less
than a week after the federal government committed $85 billion to bail out AIG,
executives of the giant AIG insurance company headed for a week-long retreat
at a luxury resort and spa, the St. Regis Resort in Monarch Beach, California,
Congressional investigators revealed today.
NYC
Crane Inspector Charged in Bribery Scheme
The
former acting chief inspector of cranes in New York City, where there have been
two deadly crane accidents this year, has been charged in a bribery scheme that
investigators say dates back to 1996.
How
airlines have betrayed us
Airline
passengers are usually a forgiving lot. When a flight doesn't take off as planned,
they understand. When they have to pay extra for a checked bag because of “higher”
fuel prices, they oblige.
University
President Pleads Guilty to Drunken Driving
The
president of Davenport University has pleaded guilty to a first-time drunken-driving
charge and refusing to take a breath test during his arrest.
Randolph
Flechsig, president of the Michigan school, entered the plea Monday.
Lehman
Brothers Boss Defends $484 Million in Salary, Bonus
In
the first Congressional hearing into the financial crisis, the former CEO of
the bankrupt Lehman Brothers, Richard Fuld, became the poster boy for Wall Street
greed today as he defended the $484 million he received in salary, bonuses and
stock options since 2000.
As
Lehman Collapsed, Execs Were Rewarded
Days
from becoming the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history, Lehman Brothers steered
millions to departing executives even while pleading for a federal rescue, Congress
was told Monday.
As
well, executives who feared for their bonuses in the company's last months were
told not to worry, according to documents cited at a congressional hearing.
Bryant
used 'MAC account' to steer millions, jury told
As
one of New Jersey's most powerful politicians, former State Sen. Wayne Bryant
was allowed to disburse $4 million from a supposedly merit-based grant program
to whatever projects he saw fit, according to testimony at his political corruption
trial yesterday.
The
school hired Bryant, a Camden County Democrat, in 2003. Prosecutors have called
Bryant's job a bribe in exchange for his influence as chairman of the Senate
Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Episcopal
Bishop Defrocked In Cover-Up
An
Episcopal bishop in Pennsylvania has been defrocked after a church panel found
him guilty of covering up his brother's sexual assaults of a teenage girl in
the 1970s.
Charles
E. Bennison Jr. deserved to be ousted from the clergy because of his "very
significant failures to fulfill his responsibilities" and "a fundamental
lack of professional awareness," the special Court for the Trial of a Bishop
said in documents released Friday.
Cayton
indicted on felony drug, theft and bribery charges
A
grand jury on Thursday indicted Emily Cayton, the drug court coordinator for
Columbia County Circuit Court, on drug, theft and bribery charges.
Feds
seek delay in sentencing former La. official
Federal
prosecutors are asking to postpone sentencing for a former Louisiana film commissioner
who is cooperating with investigators in a bribery case.
Mark
Smith pleaded guilty last year to taking about $60,000 in bribes to help inflate
tax credits meant to lure film production to the state.
Bonus
Scandal: Preliminary hearing set
Prosecutors
are summoning 27 witnesses to testify at next week's preliminary hearing in
the legislative bonus scandal.
The
witness list includes a woman who was allegedly hired to do little work by her
boyfriend, then the chief of staff to house Democratic leader Bill DeWeese,
because of their sexual relationship.
Castroneves
and sister indicted for tax crimes
Two-time
Indianapolis 500 winner and TV “Dancing With The Stars” champion
Helio Castroneves was indicted Thursday on tax evasion and tax fraud charges,
accused of using offshore accounts to hide millions of dollars in income from
the Internal Revenue Service.
Pastor
Admits Killing Church Deacon
Former
pastor Richard Scott Harper pleaded guilty to the 2004 killing of church deacon
Thad John Reynolds Wednesday. Harper killed Thad Reynolds in a deadly love triangle,
police said.
Detroit
mayor accused of texting additional women
Detroit
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is now charged with exchanging romantic text messages
with additional women in the scandal that has him fighting allegations that
he lied under oath about an intimate relationship with his former chief of staff.
An investigator's report says the Wayne County prosecutor's office has determined
that Kilpatrick sent and received text messages with "intimate or romantic
content" to several women who were not his wife or former Chief of Staff
Christine Beatty.
Contractor
says he never billed senator
When
FBI agents investigating political corruption in Alaska arrived at oil pipeline
magnate Bill Allen's doorstep in 2006, he quickly cut a deal that would end
up putting his friend Sen. Ted Stevens in peril.
Allen,
who pleaded guilty to bribing state legislators, agreed to secretly record conversations
with Stevens and also testify in federal court about more than $250,000 in home
renovations and other gifts he lavished on his longtime fishing and drinking
buddy.
Youth
pastor accused of sexual abuse
A
41-year-old Enumclaw man has accused his former youth pastor of sexually abusing
him more than 20 years ago, saying the abuse continued even after he told church
leaders.
Legislative
ethic probe begins on 2 lawmakers
Utah
House members will meet soon to start ethics investigations on two of their
own — Reps. Greg Hughes, R-Draper, and Phil Riesen, D-Millcreek.
City
spends another $46,400 to reach beneficiaries of fire fee settlement scandal,
case could close in about two weeks
Although
the fire fee was legal, the fire rescue portion the city was charging was found
to be illegal because a property cannot use fire rescue services.
But
for many, distrust of the city's government boiled over in 2004, when taxpayers
felt cheated after the city commission approved a payment of $7 million to seven
people — later nicknamed the lucky seven — after a less-than-a-minute
discussion.
Trial
to begin for Ohio exec in $1.9B fraud case
Entrepreneur
Lance Poulsen founded an innovative business helping cash-starved medical providers
like nursing homes pay off their bills earlier than slow-moving insurance reimbursements.
Federal
prosecutors in a $1.9 billion corporate fraud trial allege Poulsen did something
else: perpetrate fraud on the scale of Enron or WorldCom by fabricating company
data, misleading investors and covering up shortfalls by moving money between
accounts.
Return
to Sender: Pot-Dealing Postman Gets 18 Months
A
former U.S. Postal Service carrier has been sentenced to 18 months in federal
prison for selling marijuana on his mail route.
Prosecutors
said 48-year-old Ronald Berkan of Vernonia pleaded guilty in April to distribution
of marijuana to a person under 21.
Rep.
Jefferson Seeks 10th Term Despite Looming Trial
Despite
a looming federal corruption trial, more campaign debt than cash and relatives
who have tarnished the family name, Louisiana congressman William Jefferson
is seeking a 10th term.
Contractor
says immune from Iraq torture lawsuits
Defense
contractor CACI (KA'-kee) is claiming immunity from lawsuits alleging torture
at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, saying it was doing the U.S. government's work
as a supplier of interrogators.
CACI
and another contractor, L-3 Communications, are accused in separate lawsuits
of a conspiracy to torture detainees in 2003 and 2004.
D.C.
Tax Auditor Charged in Bribery Case
An
auditor for the D.C. tax office has been charged with accepting a $6,000 bribe
to lower a business's taxes.
Thirty-six-year-old
El-Hadj Drame is accused of soliciting and taking the money in November.
Calif.
lawmakers get free gasoline
California
lawmakers enjoy a perk not available to their colleagues in any other state:
unchecked use of gasoline charge cards that stick taxpayers with the bill.
On
top of free gas, California lawmakers also get state-issued vehicles, another
perk that most states avoid.
Judge
denies bid to throw out CIETC convictions
A
federal judge today refused to throw out verdicts against two key defendants
in the CIETC fraud and conspiracy case, ruling that jurors were reasonable in
concluding that Jane Barto and Karen Tesdell committed crimes during a $1.5
million scandal centered around fraud and misspent taxpayer money.
Judge
Robert Pratt rejected motions left over from the April fraud and conspiracy
trial for three people connected to the now-defunct Central Iowa Employment
and Training Consortium, a Des Moines-based job-training agency.
Palin
and Gifts: The Mining Connection
About
a quarter of the 41 gifts that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has received since taking
office in December 2006 have a link to one of the state's most influential mining
lobbyists.
Palin
Accepted $25,000 in Gifts, Alaska Records Show
Alaska
Gov. Sarah Palin, who has made a crackdown on gift-giving to state officials
a centerpiece of her ethics reform agenda, has accepted gifts valued at $25,367
from industry executives, municipalities and a cultural center whose board includes
officials from some of the largest mining interests in the state, a review of
state records shows.
FBI
Began Investigating AIG in March
Federal
investigators have been scrutinizing American International Group since March,
focusing on whether the insurance giant knowingly concealed mammoth losses that
helped lead to the company's $85 billion federal bailout this month.
Failed
firms gave big to both parties
Before
the government committed billions of taxpayer dollars to rescue troubled corporate
giants, executives at those firms were directing millions of dollars in lobbying
efforts and campaign donations to the very politicians who now blame Wall Street's
excesses and greed for America's financial crisis.
Executives
of four companies bailed out by the government — American International
Group, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Bear Stearns — donated nearly $2 million
to politicians, political action committees and political parties since last
year, including nearly $369,000 to the major presidential candidates, according
to Federal Election Commission data analyzed by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive
Politics.
Horrific
football hazing case shakes NM town
It
was shocking enough when six high school football players were accused of sodomizing
six younger teammates with a broomstick during training camp. But the scandal
was raised to a whole new level when the coaches were accused of turning a blind
eye to the hazing.
Since
then, Robertson High's head football coach and all five assistants have resigned,
and prosecutors are considering charges against adults and youngsters alike.
Shelter
manager guilty in bribe case
The
former manager of the Tulare County Animal Shelter was found guilty Wednesday
of accepting a bribe -- a $1,000 gift certificate for a local restaurant --
from a company that dealt in animal carcasses for scientific use.
Besides
accepting one bribe, William Harmon was found guilty of soliciting another bribe
and embezzling public funds -- all felonies. The solicitation involved seeking
$850 in gift certificates for two local restaurants in exchange for animal carcasses
to the company. The embezzlement charge was for selling wooden pallets owned
by the county and pocketing between $50 and $80.
Maryland
State Delegate Charged with Driving Under the Influence
A
Maryland state delegate who called for "DUI" license plates that would
be issued to people convicted more than once of drunken driving has been charged
with driving under the influence himself.
A
Montgomery County police report says an officer cited Herman Taylor Jr. after
finding him sleeping with his SUV idling at a 7-Eleven on New Hampshire Avenue
in Silver Spring on May 1.
Price
Fixing Alleged In Food Industry
Federal
authorities are investigating price-fixing allegations in the tomato and egg
industries.
Authorities
allege Randall Rahal paid buyers at six food companies to buy tomatoes from
SK Foods of Lemoore, Calif.
Court
in Va. hears congressman's appeal
A
Louisiana congressman accused of taking bribes is challenging his indictment
before a federal appeals court in Richmond.
Representative
William Jefferson claims the indictment unconstitutionally infringed on his
privileges as a congressman. A federal judge rejected that argument in February.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard Jefferson's appeal Wednesday.
Virginia
Man Pleads Guilty in Mortgage Fraud Scheme
Twenty-nine-year-old
Gohar Mirza, of Annandale, said in court documents that he and several coconspirators
sold properties in Annandale, Woodbridge and elsewhere to straw buyers, who
used fraudulent loan documents to obtain financing. Many of the properties were
quickly sold at inflated prices, and the buyers then defaulted on the mortgages.
Mirza
was the owner and operator of E-Star Lending.
Hopkinton
city manager stopped by his own police department
Hopkinton
Town Manager Anthony Troiano was cited by Hopkinton police for driving with
a revoked license Monday, just days after being found guilty for his role in
a fatal car accident.
Former
Cobo director charged with federal felony
A
second former director of Detroit's Cobo Center has been charged with a federal
felony in connection with a City Hall corruption investigation.
Glenn
Blanton was charged last week with falsifying documents to obstruct an investigation.
FBI
Investigating Companies at Heart of Meltdown
The
FBI is investigating four major U.S. financial institutions whose collapse helped
trigger a $700 billion bailout plan by the Bush administration.
Two
law enforcement officials said Tuesday the FBI is looking at potential fraud
by mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers Holdings
Inc., and insurer American International Group Inc.
McCain
aide’s firm was paid by Freddie Mac
One
of the giant mortgage companies at the heart of the credit crisis paid $15,000
a month to a firm owned by Senator John McCain’s campaign manager from
the end of 2005 through last month, according to two people with direct knowledge
of the arrangement.
The
disclosure contradicts a statement Sunday night by Mr. McCain that the campaign
manager, Rick Davis, had no involvement with the company for the last several
years.
Timeline:
Donaghy gambling scandal
A
timeline of events surrounding the gambling scandal involving former NBA referee
Tim Donaghy.
Sex-crime
claim raised
Tucked
within recent federal reports exposing a culture of freewheeling sex and drugs
at a Lakewood division of the U.S. Interior Department is the description of
an encounter that went beyond ethical misconduct: a possible rape.
The
passage, contained near the end of an Aug. 7 inspector general report, describes
Gregory Smith, former director of Interior's Royalty in Kind program, allegedly
forcing an employee's "head into his lap" after she said no.
Clerk
Gets Probation In Bail Bond Scandal
As
a clerk at the Elm Street state courthouse, Cynthia McClendon slipped a confidential
file to bondsman Philip Jacobs in return for a $500 gift. She resigned her post
on June 2, the same day she pleaded guilty to one count of soliciting and accepting
a gratuity. Sentenced in U.S. District Court Monday to a felony bribery charge,
she wept for the damage she did to the career she loved and to the office that
took her in.
Tab
for financial bailout: $700 billion
Unveiling
its plan to rescue the nation's financial system from near-paralysis, the Bush
administration is asking Congress for the authority to spend $700 billion and
for powers to intervene in the economy so sweeping that they have virtually
no precedent in U.S. history.
The
most distinctive -- and potentially most controversial -- element of the plan
is the extent to which it would allow Treasury to act unilaterally: Its decisions
could not be reviewed by any court or administrative body and, once the emergency
legislation was approved, the administration could raise the $700 billion through
government borrowing and would not be subject to Congress' traditional power
of the purse.
Oil,
Money and Politics on Display at Stevens Trial
The
government's case against Sen. Ted Stevens, scheduled to begin with jury selection
Monday in Washington D.C., could reveal details about politics in Alaska and
connections between an oil company and Alaska's senior senator.
Stevens,
who is in the middle of a re-election campaign, was hit with a seven-count indictment
on July 29 that accused him of lying on financial disclosure forms he was required
to file with the U.S. Senate and concealing things of value he received from
the oil services firm Veco and company CEO Bill Allen, who was personal friends
with Stevens.
FBI
Agents Raid Ark. Church In Child Porn Case
Federal
authorities conducting a child-porn investigation raided the headquarters Saturday
of a ministry run by a convicted tax evader once labeled by prosecutors as a
polygamist who preys on girls and women.
Social
workers interviewed children who live at the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries
complex, which critics call a cult, to find out whether they were abused. The
two-year investigation involves a law that prohibits the transportation of children
across state lines for criminal activity.
Armed
guards regularly patrol the headquarters, but there was no resistance as agents
moved in ...
SC
probes award-winning, inner-city school
When
MiShawna Moore became principal of one of Charleston's poorest inner-city schools
five years ago, she sought to make it a beacon among the nearby housing projects
and homeless shelter.
But
Moore departed last spring for a job in North Carolina, and scores from the
tests taken shortly before she left dropped dramatically.
Officials
are now questioning what they call an unusual number of erasure marks on old
tests.
Palin
Disputed In Troopergate Probe
Just
when it seemed the Alaska investigation into Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of a
state official might have been scuttled by the pressures of presidential politics,
another turn of events has kept it going.
Palin
originally agreed to participate in the investigation, authorized in July by
the Republican-controlled legislature. She told Alaskans, "Hold me accountable."
Once named to the McCain ticket, however, Palin backpedaled. She has since refused
to testify.
Rep.
Rangel's Benz Towed From Capitol Lot
A
vintage car that Rep. Charles Rangel has stored in a congressional parking lot
in violation of rules has been towed away.
The
New York Post reported Friday that the 1972 silver Mercedes-Benz, whose registration
expired four years ago and which was being kept in a House of Representatives
indoor lot without plates, was towed.
No
State Charges in Foley Case
Almost
two years to the day disgraced former congressman Mark Foley resigned after
ABC News questioned him about sexually explicit instant messages with former
congressional pages, state officials announced Friday that he won't face criminal
charges in Florida after they concluded a long investigation into his associations
with teenaged boys.
Ashley
Furniture HomeStore at Valley View closes unexpectedly; Customers outraged
Customers
clamour—locked out of the entrance of “Ashley Furniture Homestore”.
The only explanation for the lockout—a notice on the doors.
It
reads that the store is “...undergoing a change in ownership...and that
it’s not open for business during this transition.”
Ex-controller
of Mechanicsville business gets 9-year prison term
The
former controller of the United Leasing Corporation of Mechanicsville, who looted
the firm of more than $1.2 million, was sentenced to nine years in prison yesterday.
James
H. Wilkins, 42, was also ordered to make full restitution to the firm and to
pay another victim, the Home Owners Association of North Myrtle Beach Gold and
Tennis, almost $200,000 in stolen funds.
Merkley’s
Ethical violations raise questions…Again
Jeff
Merkley has been caught again dodging ethics rules. Following in Rep. Charlie
Rangel's footsteps, Jeff Merkley repeatedly failed to disclose rental income
he's received from his 12 properties across Oregon.
AITP
Clipped on Scandal
American
Italian Pasta Co shares fell nearly 6 percent on Wednesday, after two former
top executives pleaded guilty to misleading investors and increasing its share
price through a series of accounting malpractices. This will definitely hurt
the company's goodwill as former CEO Timothy Webster and ex-CFO Warren Schmidgall
face up to five years in prison and a large fine. In addition, American Italian
Pasta will have to pay a $7.5 million fine related to the fraud and restate
financial statements for five years.
House
arrest, community service for Meeks
Lawrence
Meeks was sentenced Wednesday to 10 months of house arrest and 100 hours of
community service for his role in the Gary Urban Enterprise Association scandal,
said Mary Hatton, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office.
From
the executive director on down to the janitor, everyone associated with the
Gary Urban Enterprise Association who was indicted for financial crimes thus
far has been convicted.
2
former Union city officials plead guilty to taking kickbacks
Two
former city of Union officials admitted Tuesday to using their offices to solicit
kickbacks from contractors looking to do business with the municipality.
Former
Mayor Bruce Morgan, who resigned hours after being indicted on July 17, and
former Building and Zoning Director Jeffrey Lawson, who was fired shortly after
Morgan left office, devised a system to extort money from contractors hoping
to secure work with the city.
Probe
finds 20 percent of China milk companies in scandal
Twenty
percent of Chinese dairy firms probed in the wake of a baby milk health scare
have been found to have produced melamine-tainted formula, state media reported
on Tuesday.
Chinese
quality officials last week ordered a nationwide probe into all baby milk powders
after it was reported that dozens of children had developed kidney stones after
drinking tainted formula produced by the Sanlu Group.
List
of Guilty Pleas in D.C. Tax Scandal
Harriette
Walters, the mastermind of the D.C. tax scandal, pleaded guilty in court today.
Nine others have pleaded guilty, and two, Jayrece Turnbull and Diane Gustus,
are awaiting trial.
Tax
Fraud Financed 28 Trips to Vegas, 13 to Atlantic City
A
former mid-level manager in the D.C. tax office pleaded guilty today to charges
of wire fraud, money laundering and tax evasion, admitting that she played the
central role in draining the District government of nearly $50 million over
two decades.
Pocono
Monday: more scandal at ESU; mixed reviews for C & Y; photos from a fun
weekend
The
investigation into Isaac W. Sanders, East Stroudsburg University's top fundraising
executive, continues. The latest: He allegedly used money to pave the way for
sexual advances. Several former and current students claim scholarships, gifts
and other financial offers worth hundreds of dollars allegedly came attached
to unwelcome touching and other physical contact.
Another
Scandal Rocks Arroyo Govt
Scandals
after scandals, the Arroyo administration is once more entangled in another
anomaly, this time involving millions of pesos in farm subsidies and rice programs
for farmers, reports said Monday.
The
Commission on Audit has uncovered alleged fake signatures on the list of beneficiaries
of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) program of President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo.
So
much to do, so little time as scandal-saddled Legislature returns
The
Legislature returns to the Capitol today under the cloud of a grand jury investigating
Democrats and Republicans for alleged political corruption and with only nine
session days scheduled this fall to tackle several complex issues.
The
House returns for the first time since 12 people with ties to the Democratic
Caucus -- including Rep. Sean Ramaley of Economy and former Whip Mike Veon,
formerly of Beaver Falls -- were charged with crimes for allegedly engaging
in political activity at taxpayers' expense. The grand jury presentments allege
that Democratic staffers received bonuses for campaign work.
Federal
Workers Owe Billions in Delinquent Taxes
The
Internal Revenue Service is trying to collect billions of dollars in late taxes
from nearly half a million federal employees.
The
agency with the most delinquent employees was the U.S. Postal Service. Nearly
4.2 percent of its 747,000 workers are delinquent.
Boston
firefighter charged with drunken driving after crash
A
Boston firefighter is facing charges of speeding, drunken driving, and negligence
in a collision Sunday in West Roxbury that caused serious injuries to another
driver.
Vernon
Tiger Allen was driving between 45 and 50 miles per hour on VFW Parkway when
he broadsided an Acura sedan at the corner of Baker Street at about 2:30 a.m.,
according to a police report. A breath test indicated Allen's blood-alcohol
content was .14 at the time of the collision. The legal limit to drive in Massachusetts
is .08.
Insurer
refuses to pay for abuse suit
An
insurance company for the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales filed suit last week
saying it does not have to pay a settlement reached between the Catholic order
and a sexual abuse victim.
The
suit filed by United States Fire Insurance Co. claims it doesn't have to pay
because the order knew the priest was likely to abuse children.
3
charged in bid-rigging case to be arraigned
Three
men charged in a federal bid-rigging case are scheduled for arraignment in U.S.
District Court in Lexington.
Former
Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert, construction contractor Leonard Lawson,
and Lawson aide Brian Russell Billings are expected to appear in court.
Attorneys:
Vick was fleeced by his financial advisers
Serious
questions have been raised about at least two of the people Michael Vick hired
to look after his multimillion-dollar estate.
One
of Vick's former business managers, Mary R. Wong, got permanently banned from
buying and selling securities after the New York Stock Exchange found she swindled
investors.
David
A. Talbot is accused by New Jersey's attorney general of bilking church members
to the tune of $500,000 and is facing a lawsuit that contends he preyed on people's
religious beliefs.
Bergen
official spared indictment
The
alleged third founder of the consulting firm whose activities led to corruption
charges against two other partners has been spared a similar fate, but references
to him appear throughout the text of the indictment.
Leonard
Kaiser, the executive director of the Bergen County Utilities Authority and
a former mayor of North Arlington, was not identified by name in the document,
but his political résumé exactly matches the biography federal
prosecutors use to describe “Individual 1.”
Judge
says McConkey violated state law
A
judge last week ruled Del. Tony McConkey violated state law in 2006 when he
bought the home of a Pasadena woman facing foreclosure.
The
Severna Park Republican was acting as a foreclosure consultant to 44-year-old
Teresa Milligan and was therefore not allowed to buy her house.
Schools
employee arrested on child porn, incest charges
An
Olive Street man who works for Wood County Schools has been arrested on child
pornography and incest charges.
Lonnie
Wayne Moore Sr. was being held in the North Central Regional Jail on $40,000
bond after he was arraigned in Wood County Magistrate Court on felony charges
of incest and possession of child pornography, said Chief Gerald Board.
Report:
FEMA Wasted Millions on Hurricane Katrina Work
The
government wasted millions of dollars on four no-bid contracts it handed out
for Hurricane Katrina work, including paying $20 million for a camp for evacuees
that was never inspected and proved to be unusable, investigators say.
A
report by the Homeland Security Department's office of inspector general is
the latest to detail mismanagement in the multibillion-dollar Katrina hurricane
recovery effort, which investigators have said wasted at least $1 billion.
Sex
For Oil Scandal At Interior Department
Government
officials handling billions of dollars in oil royalties engaged in illicit sex
with employees of energy companies they were dealing with and received numerous
gifts from them, federal investigators said.
The
alleged transgressions involve 13 Interior Department employees in Denver and
Washington. Their alleged improprieties include rigging contracts, working part-time
as private oil consultants, and having sexual relationships with - and accepting
golf and ski trips and dinners from - oil company employees.
Fire
Chief Charged In Sex Assaults Resigns
A
Boston deputy fire chief charged with impersonating a police officer and sexually
assaulting six women resigned Wednesday from the department.
Peter
Pearson, 51, of East Bridgewater, was charged last month in alleged attacks
on women in Brockton and Avon. In one of the attacks he was accused of raping
a woman at gunpoint after he posed as a police officer.
Former
postal worker pleads guilty to stealing mail over 2-year period
Fred
Gaddie was a mail handler who worked in the distribution plant. Police say Gaddie
admitted to stealing gift cards from mail, including letters, cards and packages
between July 2005 and July 2007.
Iowa
files child labor charges against meat plant
The
Iowa attorney general's office has filed child labor charges against the owner
and managers of the Agriprocessors kosher meatpacking plant in Postville.
The
violations involved 32 children under age 18, including seven who were younger
than 16.
Police
officer fired, fire capt. suspended
Anthony
Scatena III was fired Monday night from the Fort Wayne Police Department by
the Board of Public Safety while Fort Wayne Fire Capt. Terrance P. Miller was
suspended without pay.
Scatena
violated a court order by calling his estranged girlfriend more than 250 times.
Miller,
suspended with pay on Aug. 15, is accused of molesting a then 12-year-old girl
last year.
J-Town
City Official Faces Drug Charges
The
Jeffersontown Public Works director is facing charges of cocaine possession
and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police
arrested Joseph McMillan Thursday night at his home after receiving a tip McMillan
and a known drug dealer met at another location.
Politicians
keep money from indicted road builder
Politicians
who have received money in the past year from now-indicted road contractor Leonard
Lawson say they plan to keep it.
The
Lexington Herald-Leader reported Friday that Republican state Sen. Brandon Smith
of Hazard and Democratic state Rep. Greg Stumbo of Prestonsburg are among those
planning to keep $1,000 contributions given to them by Lawson, who has given
a total of $17,850 to five candidates and two political groups in the current
election cycle.
Fairfield
bank embezzler gets jail
The
former supervisor at a Fairfield bank was sentenced Friday to two and one-half
years in prison for stealing nearly $40,000 from the bank.
Jaye
Sanders, 40, of Laurel Court, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree larceny
and was sentenced by Superior Court George Thim to eight years, suspended after
he serves two and one-half years in prison, followed by five years probation.
Nevada
DMV Worker Arrested
The
U.S. Department of Justice says Marilyn Millender of North Las Vegas took bribes
while working last year.
In
a statement, U.S. Attorney Greg Brower said Millender was "indicted by
the Federal Grand Jury on charges that she solicited and accepted cash in exchange
for issuing official Nevada driver’s licenses and identification cards
to illegal aliens".
Sex
Scandal Finally Does In Detroit Mayor
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to felony charges Thursday in a sex scandal
and will step down after months of defiantly holding onto his job leading the
nation's 11th-largest city. He was ordered jailed for four months and fined
$1 million.
The
married mayor and former top aide Christine Beatty were charged in March with
perjury, misconduct and obstruction of justice. They're accused of lying under
oath about an affair and their roles in the firing of a deputy police chief.
Fired
official pleads guilty
The
city of Gardiner’s fired finance administrator has admitted embezzling
$195,000 from city coffers between June 2002 and June 2008.
Patricia
Coty of Gardiner pleaded guilty on Wednesday in Kennebec County Superior Court
to charges of theft by unauthorized taking and forgery.
Log
links official to city auction
Alfred
H. Foxx, the head of Baltimore's transportation department, registered as a
bidder and paid $25 to participate in a city auction despite department rules
barring top officials from taking part in those sales, according to a receipt
and sign-in log.
The
city's inspector general is investigating how a deputy transportation director
acquired a 15-foot motorboat that was auctioned by the city the same day. That
official, Anthony P. Wallnofer Jr., has been suspended pending the investigation.
Employee
At Gifted School Charged With Molestation
An
employee at Illinois Math and Science Academy, an elite school for the gifted
in Aurora, was charged Thursday with possessing child porn and with molesting
a child between the ages of 3 and 5.
Robert
Reese is being held in a downtown lockup pending a detention hearing next week.
Former
KY Transportation Secretary indicted along with largest road builder and employee
Kentucky’s
former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert has been indicted by a federal
grand jury.
He’s
suspected of accepting bribes to rig highway construction bids.
Ex-fire
chief pleads guilty to theft
The
former township fire chief in southern Indiana is pleading guilty to charges
he stole more than $38,000 from the department.
Under
the plea agreement entered in Jackson County Court, former Carr Township fire
chief Russell Todd Snodgrass will serve no more than six months in prison and
repay nearly $29,000 to the department. The rest of the loss was paid by the
department's insurance company.
Ex-Lawmaker
Faces Child Porn Charges
The
Justice Department has charged former Maryland state delegate Robert A. McKee
with one count of possessing child pornography stemming from a search of his
home and personal computers earlier this year.
The
charge was in the form of a criminal information rather than a grand jury indictment,
which generally indicates a plea agreement is forthcoming.
Palin's
pork requests confound reformer image
John
McCain touts Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as a force in the his battle against earmarks
and entrenched power brokers, but under her leadership the state this year asked
for almost $300 per person in requests for pet projects from one of McCain's
top adversaries: indicted Sen. Ted Stevens. That's more than any other state
received, per person, from Congress for the current budget year, and runs counter
to the reformer image that Palin and the McCain campaign are pushing. Other
states got just $34 worth of local projects per person this year, on average,
according to Citizens Against Government Waste, a Washington-based watchdog
group.
Hospital
Workers Fired for Having Fake CPR Certification
About
50 employees of a California hospital group have lost their jobs for carrying
fake CPR cards. Citrus Valley Health Partners says the workers were fired or
resigned in the past week. They include nearly two dozen registered nurses.
Trooper
Incident Could Dog Gov. Palin
Troopergate.
It's a political he-said, she-said that has dogged Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for
nearly two months and is likely to do so for another two months leading to the
Nov. 4 presidential election.
The
little-known vice presidential candidate faces accusations of firing public
safety commissioner Walt Monegan in what amounts to a messy Palin family drama
dating to her pre-gubernatorial days. Monegan had refused to fire a state trooper
who had divorced Palin's sister.
New
Orleans Repeating Deadly Levee Mistakes
Signs
are emerging that history is repeating itself in the Big Easy, still healing
from Katrina: People have forgotten a lesson from four decades ago and believe
once again that the federal government is constructing a levee system they can
prosper behind.
In
a yearlong review of levee work here, The Associated Press has tracked a pattern
of public misperception, political jockeying and legal fighting, along with
economic and engineering miscalculations since Katrina, that threaten to make
New Orleans the scene of another devastating flood.
Kilpatrick
to Admit Felony to Avoid Slammer
Lawyers
for Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick have proposed a deal in which he would plead
guilty to two felonies, make restitution and serve five years' probation in
exchange for avoiding jail time, a newspaper reported Sunday.
The
Detroit Free Press quoted "a source familiar with all aspects of the negotiations"
as saying Kilpatrick's legal team also said he would give up his law license,
not run for office for two years and do 300 hours of community service.
Bank
Employee Charged With Stealing From Account
A
Salem bank employee has been charged with stealing thousands of dollars from
customer accounts.
Police
said Seydyss Barreto of Plaistow, N.H., has been charged with four counts of
forgery and four counts of theft totaling more than $7,600.
Trial
Delayed for New York Rep. Arrested on Suspicion of Drunk Driving
The
trial of New York Rep. Vito Fossella — who was arrested for alleged drunk
driving — has been postponed until October.
Upon
arresting Fossella, police measured his blood-alcohol level at .17 — well
beyond the legal limit.
DMX
pleads out Miami drug case
Rapper
DMX has pleaded out a Miami drug case and now awaits extradition to face more
charges in Arizona.
The
rapper and actor pleaded guilty Wednesday to attempted marijuana and cocaine
possession and was sentenced to time served. His lawyer Bradford Cohen says
DMX is still in custody waiting for Arizona authorities to pick him up on drug
and animal cruelty charges he faces in Phoenix.
TX
Doughnut Exec Pleads Guilty In Immigration Case
The
president of Shipley Do-Nuts and the family-owned company pleaded guilty to
federal charges Thursday in one of the latest cases against employers accused
of hiring illegal immigrants.
Lawrence
W. Shipley III pleaded guilty in Houston to a misdemeanor charge of continiuing
to employ unauthorized workers and was placed on probation. Shipley Do-Nuts
pleaded guilty to a felony charge of knowingly hiring illegal immigrants and
must forfeit $1.3 million. The company also was placed on probation, officials
said.
City's
mistake costs homeowner thousands
A
man built a red and brown brick home that is 2,500 square feet and on a treed
lot in Southwest Dallas.
The
City of Dallas approved it every step of the way, until an inspector discovered
a worrisome mistake.
Eight
city planners told him his home had to be 10 feet off the property line, which
it is. But once his home was complete, another inspector said his colleagues
in the Building Inspections Department made a mistake. Weiss’ home had
to be 30 feet off the property line, which it's not.
D.C.
Tax Office Employee Admits to Faking Refund Checks
A
D.C. woman has admitted using her job in the District tax office to create fake
income tax refund checks for her boyfriend.
Jacqueline
Wright pleaded guilty to a mail fraud charge Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
Iberia
Principal Arrested Again
An
Iberia Parish principal who was arrested in July on drug charges was arrested
again for allegedly lying during the drug investigation.
Darius
Sias, principal of the Alternative Center for Education in New Iberia, was first
arrested July 29. He was arrested again Tuesday for allegedly providing false
information to detectives during the investigation.
Manager
Charged With Doctoring Records
The
office manager of an East Haven residential care facility has been arrested
and charged with altering a patient's file to obstruct a state investigation
into the woman's care, police said Thursday.
Melissa
Zalinger, 33, of Hamden, was charged with one count of interfering with an officer,
a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Ex-Steelworkers
Union Secretary Accused Of Embezzlement
Federal
prosecutors in Pittsburgh say a western Pennsylvania woman embezzled more than
$87,000 from the United Steelworkers of America.
Prosecutors
say between June 2006 and January, 42-year-old Donna Simpson of East McKeesport
embezzled the money from a bank account for the Steelworkers Organization for
Active Retirees.
Teacher
Charged With Distributing Cocaine To Students
A
Montgomery County Public Schools teacher was charged with distributing cocaine
to students, according to the Montgomery County Police Department.
Child
Protective Services told police that 44-year-old Theresa Cunningham Duarte had
provided drugs to Wootton High School students at her home in the 1000 block
of Brice Road in Rockville on more than one occasion.
Miss
Washington County Charged With Assault
The
current Miss Washington County, who ran on a platform of educating people about
bully prevention, has been arrested on charges of breaking into her ex-boyfriend's
home and hitting another woman, police said.
Christie
Ganoe, 22, of Cumberland, was charged with second-degree assault and fourth-degree
burglary.
Councilman
McIver paid ethics fine with taxpayer money
City
Councilman Richard McIver paid a $1,000 ethics fine with taxpayer money, and
the city's top ethics watchdog says he is sending the money back because it
undermines the punitive and deterrent purpose of the fines.
McIver
paid the fine with city money under a little-known law that says the city will
indemnify employees facing financial penalties for misconduct.
BFD
deputy fire chief held with bail on new sex charges
A
Boston deputy fire chief has been ordered held without bail after pleading not
guilty to charges of raping a woman at gunpoint now faces new charges after
two more women come forward.
The
women came forward after seeing Peter Pearson on television last week when he
was first charged with forcing a woman to have sex with him at gunpoint after
he allegedly said he was a cop.
Indicted
47-year Niles Mayor Nicholas Blase resigns; federal tax, mail-fraud trial is
called off
Longtime
Niles Mayor Nicholas Blase resigned Monday, ending a 47-year career that concluded
with a federal indictment hanging over his head.
A
federal trial on mail fraud and tax evasion charges scheduled to begin Sept.
8 has been canceled, with prosecutors remaining tight-lipped about whether a
plea bargain is in the works.
Mandeville
Mayor Eddie Price to face recall effort
A
recall petition was filed for Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price. The Secretary of
State’s office approved the application for the petition Monday.
Price
has been under public scrutiny after a state legislative audit was released
last week that said state employees, including Price, routinely used city vehicles
and Fuelman cards for personal purposes, such as out-of-state vacations.
Boston
deputy fire chief arrested again in Brockton
Peter
P. Pearson had been free on bail from the previous charges. But the East Bridgewater
resident was re-arrested, though police have not released details on the reason
for the arrest or where it took place.
Pearson
is already accused of posing as a state trooper and raping a city prostitute
at gunpoint.
Youth
Club Worker Accused of Sex with Teen
An
Annapolis Boys and Girls Club employee is charged with rape after Annapolis
police say a 13-year-old girl told officers she had sex with him.
The
girl told authorities that 28-year-old Joey Wise had intercourse with her at
the club on July 29. Police say Wise told staff members that sexual activity
occurred, but not intercourse.
Feds
make another corruption arrest
FBI
agents today arrested Chauncey I. Brown III, a former Paterson Board of Education
president and one-time fire department captain, on federal bribery charges.
While
still serving on the board, Brown solicited and accepted a $5,000 bribe in exchange
for securing an insurance brokerage contract with the board, a complaint filed
by the U.S. Attorney's Office alleges.
Frostburg
teacher accused of sex with student
Investigators
with the Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit have arrested
a teacher from Frostburg following allegations she had a sexual relationship
with a male student.
Autumn
Leathers, 24, was arrested Wednesday night. Leathers taught at Mountain Ridge
High School, but officials say she has been placed on leave and faces termination
proceedings.
Ex-fire
chief agrees to repay funds in plea
The
former chief of the Eastside Fire Department, who was accused of keeping two
fire department credit cards and buying gas, reached a plea agreement in Randolph
Superior Court on Tuesday.
Ricky
Madison Brown of Mt. Tabor Church Road, Asheboro, pleaded guilty to two counts
of misdemeanor larceny and will pay restitution to the East Side Volunteer Fire
Protection Association.
Imprisoned
ex-official admits plot to kill wife
A
former New Brunswick city official already serving time on bribery charges admitted
yesterday he hatched an elaborate plan while in prison to have his estranged
wife killed.
Richard
Kaplan pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph Irenas in Camden to
using the mail in the commission of a murder-for-hire. Less than a year ago,
he pleaded guilty before the same judge to taking more than $30,000 in bribes
while he was a city construction inspector and zoning officer.
Former
Pittston Township secretary sentenced to house arrest
A
former Pittston Township secretary who pleaded guilty to stealing more than
$31,000 from the township’s garbage fund was sentenced Wednesday to eight
to 16 months of house arrest.
Carolyn
Tirone of Winter Street, was sentenced on charges of theft by failure to make
required deposit of funds by Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge David
Lupas. Tirone pleaded guilty to the charges in June.
Chicago
Teachers Union Convicts, Ousts VP
Following
charges of lavish spending at high-end restaurants and on liquor, among other
purported misdeeds, the Chicago Teachers Union Executive Board has ousted its
vice president.
The
CTU board voted 34-2 late Tuesday to find Vice President Ted Dallas guilty of
financial impropriety and related charges, then voted 31-5 to expel him from
the union membership, according to a release Wednesday from the union.
Former
Mich. teacher accused of sex with boy, 12
Authorities
accuse a former Michigan elementary school teacher of having sex with a 12-year-old
boy she was tutoring at her home.
Allanah
Benton-Wells of Flint was arraigned Tuesday on two counts of first-degree criminal
sexual conduct. The 42-year-old could face life in prison if convicted.
Ex-Moon
High School Teacher Gets Jail For Student Sex
A
former high school teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student
and sending him nude photos took a plea deal Wednesday on some of the original
charges against her.
Judge
David Cashman sentenced Beth Ann Chester to 18½ to 36 months in jail
after she pleaded guilty to statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors and
criminal use of a communications device.
N.C.
Patient Dies While Staff Plays Cards
Investigators say a North Carolina mental patient died after nurses at a state
mental hospital left him in a chair for 22 hours and failed to feed him or help
him to the bathroom, a newspaper reported Tuesday.
Security
video showed Steven H. Sabock as he died in April after he choked on medication
at Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro and a nurse stood nearby without helping, The
News & Observer of Raleigh reported.
Woman
Admits to Skimming Funds
Marcia
Masters of Kenova now awaits her sentence after pleading guilty to embezzling
$704,606 while the administrative officer for the Guyan Conservation District.
The
money was earmarked for conservation projects in six counties, instead the money
went into her pocket she admitted. Mingo, Logan, Lincoln, Cabell, Wayne, and
Boone counties were affected by the theft.
Former
Pastor To Stand Trial In Child Sex Case
Pretrial
proceedings took place Monday for Louis Lamonica, the former spiritual leader
of the now-defunct Hosanna Church.
Prosecutors
said Lamonica had sexual relations with children in his congregation over a
period of several years.
Postal
worker pleads guilty to stashing mail at home
A
former mailman pleaded guilty Monday to hiding years worth of mail at his home
near Apex.
Steven
M. Padgett pleaded guilty to a charge of delay or destruction of mail, which
carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
He will be sentenced later.
DC
Cuts Summer Jobs Payroll After Reports of Fraud
D.C.
officials say they have cut more than 3,200 people from the payroll of the city's
troubled summer jobs program for youth.
The
jobs program is for youth ages 14- to 21-years-old. Officials say at least five
people on the payroll were older than 50. Others were too young. And some people's
Social Security numbers were entered into the system more than once, suggesting
they were being paid twice.
'The
Office' Actor Faces Drug Charges
Prosecutors
have filed felony drug charges against Craig Phillip Robinson, an actor best
known for his role as Darryl Philbin on NBC's "The Office."
Official
admits taking bribes to ease inspections
The
former deputy director of Paterson’s Section 8 housing program admitted
today that he pocketed thousands of dollars in bribes to guarantee trouble-free
building inspections.
Benny
Ramos, 44, of Clifton, also told a federal judge in Newark that he steered low-income
tenants to properties managed by a corrupt real estate broker-turned-informant.
Ex-CEO
of nonprofit repays stolen funds
A
former chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maui County was
given a chance to keep a felony theft conviction off his record after he repaid
nearly $47,000 embezzled from the nonprofit agency in 2002 and 2003.
Ex-mayor,
jailed for extortion, faces suit
Life
might get more unpleasant for former mayor and current federal inmate Terrance
D. Weldon.
The
township has retained an attorney to sue Weldon, the developers from whom he
admitted extorting bribes and any other people who gave him illegal cash gifts.
Coroners
Accused of Stealing from the Dead & More
A
recent case involving a city death investigator whom prosecutors say secretly
stole drugs from corpses is the latest gruesome example of a morgue worker accused
of taking advantage of the dead. But experts point to a farther-reaching systemic
problem of a lack of training, regulation, and accreditation at coroner and
medical examiners offices across the country.
Contracts
linked to mayor's family
The
lavish golfing and hunting excursions enjoyed by Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price,
courtesy of city contractors and a prominent local developer, were perhaps the
most sensational revelations in a report released Monday by the Louisiana legislative
auditor.
Charity's
worker accused of theft
An
accountant has been arrested on a charge of embezzling $17,300 from Wishing
Well Foundation USA Inc., a Metairie nonprofit that grants wishes for ill children.
Kathy
Burns, 53, 12609 Stanga Road, Covington, was both an accountant for the charity
and the treasurer of its board of directors.
Professor
Accused of Fondling Students in Exchange for Higher Grades
A
University of Iowa professor accused of fondling female students in exchange
for giving them "A's" in his class had been put on paid administrative
leave.
Arthur
Miller, a political science professor, was charged with four counts of bribery
after he allegedly asked female students to let him fondle them in return for
better grades.
Burlington
Diocese Back In Court For Sex Abuse Case
Jury
selection is set for tomorrow in the civil suit brought by a former altar boy
who says former Rev. Edward Paquette molested him when he was a student at Christ
the King school in Burlington.
Michigan
Attorney General: Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick Violated Bond Terms, Again
A
prosecutor on Monday accused Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick of violating his bond in
an assault case by spending time over the weekend with his sister, one of 11
witnesses listed by authorities.
In
a court filing, the mayor had been ordered to have no contact with witnesses.
Tennessee
AG to investigate Ragsdale's office
Tennessee
Attorney General Robert E. Cooper has been appointed to investigate possible
misuse of Knox County funds and alleged official misconduct in Knox County Mayor
Mike Ragsdale's office, according to a letter District Attorney General Randy
Nichols sent to Knox County Commissioners.
SEC
Opens Formal Probe Of Countrywide
The
Securities and Exchange Commission has escalated its scrutiny of Countrywide
Financial Corp. into a formal investigation, according to a regulatory filing
by Bank of America Corp.
The
Los Angeles Times reported that the SEC probe centers on whether Chairman and
CEO Angelo Mozilo's stock trades violated the law and whether the lender's financial
disclosures misled investors.
Store
Manager Arrested In Slaying
Baltimore
police said the manager of a Family Dollar store was arrested in South Carolina
on charges that she killed an employee during an apparent robbery.
Alice
Collins, 37, was charged in a warrant with first-degree murder, armed robbery
and other crimes.
Treasurer
Of Youth Baseball League Charged With Embezzlement
Monroe
police said they have charged a 43-year-old local woman with embezzling more
than $20,000 from a youth baseball league.
Authorities
said Lisa Vaughn was treasurer of Monroe's Babe Ruth Baseball League when more
than $20,000 intended to pay for new uniforms disappeared from its accounts.
Edwards
admits to affair, denies fathering child
Former
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards on Friday admitted to an extramarital
affair while his wife was battling cancer. He denied fathering the woman's daughter.
Edwards
told ABC News that he lied repeatedly about the affair with Rielle Hunter.
FDA:
Two local pharmacies sold expired medications
The
Food and Drug Administration says two Baltimore pharmacies sold prescription
medications that were expired or suspected to be fake.
The
medications were sold by the Medicine Shoppe pharmacies at 8035A Liberty Road
and 5900 Reisterstown Road. The medications are for diseases such as cancer,
diabetes and hypertension.
Detroit
mayor charged with assault just as he is cleared to leave jail on bond violation
For
anyone keeping score, the leader of the nation's 11th-largest city now faces
10 felony charges in two separate cases.
Mayor
Kwame Kilpatrick was charged Friday with assaulting two investigators who were
trying to deliver a subpoena to the mayor's friend last month. The two felony
counts carry a maximum penalty of two years in prison or a fine of $2,000.
Loophole
in tobacco regulation bill
A
loophole in a sweeping tobacco regulation bill would give the industry a 21-month
window to introduce certain new products without first getting federal approval.
Boys
and Girls Club employee charged with rape
One
week after the grand opening event at Annapolis' newest Boys and Girls Club,
a 28-year-old employee was charged yesterday with raping a 13-year-old girl
at the Admiral Oaks facility.
Joey
D. Wise was arrested at his home without incident last night. Mr. Wise, who
was an assistant program director at the club, is charged with second-degree
rape, second-, third- and fourth-degree sex offense, perverted practice, sexual
solicitation of a minor and second-degree assault.
Executives
face prison for bilking U.S. Signal
As
the former president of U.S. Signal, Barry Raterink's job was to protect the
company's assets.
Instead,
he used the position to help defraud the Grand Rapids-based company of millions.
Detroit
Mayor Jailed For Jumping Bail
Detroit
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been ordered to the county jail after a judge found
he violated the terms of his bond by going to Canada and not informing the court.
Audit
reveals Whitehall clerk took money for own use
A
state audit shows that a former town clerk diverted $92,848 in public funds
to her own use over a period of five years but paid it all back before she resigned
last year.
Janet
Jillson wrote personal checks back to the Washington County town for $64,800,
according to an audit released by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
SEDC
chief authorized extra pay for herself
Staffers
at the nonprofit city agency enjoyed fine meals and multilevel bonuses at taxpayer
expense, according to documents the city released yesterday. The documents show
that SEDC President Carolyn Smith had – and used – the authority
to grant herself tens of thousands of dollars in extra pay.
$775,000
embezzled in Arlington
A
recently retired Arlington city employee is under investigation for allegedly
stealing nearly $800,000 from the city during the past six years.
The
woman allegedly spent part of her time on the job altering as many as 103 checks,
depositing them into her own bank account, according to a search warrant filed
Wednesday in Snohomish County Superior Court.
State
archivist admits stealing more than $50K in artifacts
A
veteran state archivist admitted in court today that he stole more than $50,000
in artifacts and historic documents from the state Library and Archives over
more than a decade.
Daniel
D. Lorello, 54, of Van Leuven Drive, Rensselaer, pleaded guilty before Albany
County Judge Thomas A. Breslin to a single felony count of second-degree grand
larceny.
Hospital
CEO uses homeless to defraud government health programs
Authorities
say the top executive of a Los Angeles hospital was arrested in a scheme to
recruit homeless people to fraudulently bill government health care programs
for millions of dollars in unnecessary health services.
FBI
agents say they arrested Rudra Sabaratnam, CEO of City of Angels hospital. They
also arrested Estill Mitts, operator of an assessment center in "Skid Row,"
where many homeless people live.
Bennigan's
files for bankruptcy; employees left holding the bag
Some
employees of a local restaurant chain are in a tough spot. Their restaurant
suddenly shut down and some of the employees say their final paychecks bounced.
Shaktoolik
mayor arrested; booze found in his luggage
The
mayor of the tiny Norton Sound village of Shaktoolik has been charged with bootlegging.
Alaska
State Troopers say Edgar M. Jackson Sr. tried to smuggle 12 bottles of liquor
into the dry village of Golovin, where he crab fishes in the summer.
Dooly
officials enter pleas
Unadilla
city councilmen, Tony Lester and Dexter Whittaker, along with former councilmen,
Bobby West and Jeffrey Minor, former city administrator Ronnie Brand and former
police chief Leonard Smith will stand trial on the charge of fiduciary theft
by taking.
In
addition, Lester, Whittaker, West and Minor face additional charges of violation
of oath by public officer and violation of the Georgia Open Meetings Act and
Whittaker and Smith face charges on conspiracy to fraud a political subdivision.
Parker
Mayor Arrested For Driving Without Privileges
The
mayor of Parker in Fremont County has bonded out of jail after being arrested
early Monday morning.
Bert
McLaughlin was taken into custody after being pulled over for driving without
privileges around 5.30 a.m.
Fire
captain avoids jail, takes deal
Fire
Capt. Thomas Verdon, 58, was indicted on charges of official misconduct, burglary,
theft and attempted theft, following his Dec. 13 arrest after allegedly stealing
stained glass windows from a vacant Jersey City home, officials said at the
time.
School
spy cam probe veiled in secrecy
The
Everett School District hoped hiring somebody to conduct an independent investigation
of its 2007 use of a hidden surveillance camera in a teacher's classroom would
put controversy to rest.
Mass.
apologizes to former inmate held too long
The
state of Masachusetts has agreed to pay $100,000 to a man who was released from
prison four years after his sentence should have ended.
Suspended
Westwood Heights School District business agent charged with embezzlement
A
suspended Westwood Heights School District business agent is charged with embezzling
more than $41,000 from the school district.
Sue
Ann Ingersoll of Clio, was charged Monday with five felonies each carrying a
maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Former
Decatur school treasurer arrested
The
former treasurer for the Decatur School District was arrested Friday for embezzling
more than $40,000.
Tina
LaDawn Murray, 34, was arrested on of theft of property, a class B felony; and
forgery, a class C felony.
Police:
32 Pounds Of Marijuana Seized From Mayor's Home
Prince
George's County Police continued Thursday to investigate after officers seized
about 32 pounds of marijuana delivered to the home of Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye
Calvo.
Calvo
has not been charged.
FCC
finds Comcast wrongly blocked peer-to-peer Internet connections
The
case erupted when Comcast subscribers, as well as public information advocacy
groups Free Press and Public Knowledge, complained of Comcast users not being
able to access peer-to-peer applications, like BitTorrent, through the company’s
broadband connections.
The
FCC says Philadelphia-based Comcast initially denied blocking the peer-to-peer
applications, but later changed its story claiming the company only interfered
with connections to cut down on traffic congestion.
Sen.
Stevens pleads not guilty in corruption case
Alaska
Sen. Ted Stevens has pleaded not guilty to charges he lied about accepting more
than a quarter of a million dollars worth of gifts from a powerful oil field
contractor.
Prosecutors
say the Alaska Republican accepted more than $250,000 in house renovations and
gifts from contractors but didn't disclose them on Senate financial records.
Local
principal arrested on drug charges
Lee
Street Alternative School Principal Darius Sias was arrested on drug, firearm
and counterfeit money charges this morning after his house was raided.
He
has been charged with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession
of a firearm while in possession of a controlled substance, monetary instrument
abuse (possession of counterfeit money) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Case
managers arrested for Medicaid fraud
Two
Miami-Dade County case managers have been arrested for allegedly defrauding
Florida’s Medicaid program out of about $139,000.
Negia
Peguero, 57, of Pembroke Pines, and Olvin Rosado, 37, of Miramar, were arrested
on Wednesday. A third suspect remains at large.
Evangelist
Arrested; Wife's Body Frozen
Police
believe a body found in a small-time evangelist's home freezer is his wife and
a mother of eight, and arrested him on a murder charge as he preached at a south
Alabama church.
Anthony
Hopkins, 37, was being held in the Mobile County jail Wednesday awaiting a bond
hearing and appointment of an attorney.
NBA
scandal: Corrupt ref gets 15-month sentence
Disgraced
ex-NBA official Tim Donaghy admitted that he'd brought shame on his profession
Tuesday as a federal judge sentenced him to 15 months behind bars for a gambling
scandal that still has the league on the defensive.
Senator
Indicted for Allegedly Making False Statements
Sen.
Ted Stevens, R-Ala., one of 18 Republican Senators running for reelection this
year, was indicted today by the Department of Justice for seven felony counts
of making false statements.
The
28-page indictment charged that Stevens "knowingly and intentionally sought
to conceal and cover up his receipt of things of value by filing Financial Disclosure
Forms that contained false statements and omissions" regarding $250,000
in gifts of value.
Former
Newark, N.J., Mayor Sharpe James Sentenced to 2 Years, 3 Months in Federal Prison
Former
Newark Mayor Sharpe James was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison
on Tuesday for his role in the cut-rate sales of city land to his former mistress.
Prosecutors
charged that James abused his office and betrayed his constituents by arranging
for the sale of nine city-owned properties for $46,000 to Riley from 2001 to
2005. Riley quickly sold them for $665,000 without ever starting required rehabilitation
work on most of them, prosecutors said.
Ark.
education program director resigns amid audit
The
director of the Southeast Arkansas Education Service Cooperative resigned yesterday,
as state officials continue to investigate whether the agency pressured teachers
to inflate high school students' grades.
Current
and former employees of the program told investigators that students received
higher grades than they deserved, that teachers were pressured by management
to change students' grades, and that teachers were harassed or dismissed for
refusing to lower standards or change grades.
D.C.
Ambulance Crews Accused of Shirking Responsibility
The
D.C. Fire and EMS department is looking into allegations that two D.C. ambulance
crews went missing for hours while they were supposed to be saving lives.
EPA
silences enforcement staff
The
Environmental Protection Agency is telling its enforcement personnel not to
talk with congressional investigators and reporters, and even the agency's own
inspector general, according to an internal e-mail provided to The Associated
Press.
NJ
lawmaker resigns amid child porn investigation
A
New Jersey legislator resigned Monday amid reports that he's under investigation
for suspected possession of child pornography.
The
clerk of the Assembly received a one-sentence letter from Assemblyman Neil Cohen
just before 9:30 a.m. Monday. Cohen said his resignation is effective immediately,
but he did not offer any explanation.
Senator
Derrick Shepherd Arrested
Abc
26 news has learned that state senator derrick shepherd, the westbank lawmaker,
was arrested at his stonebridge home around 630 this evening. Sources tell us
he was charged with battery, simple burglary and criminal damage to property
after an apparent run in with his girlfriend last night, but he was arrested
to tonight.
Senator
given a cut-rate deal on Bethany Beach mortgage
The
three-story, custom-built house is the vacation getaway of U.S. Sen. Kent Conrad,
the North Dakota Democrat hailed two years ago by Time magazine as one of the
nation's "10 best senators."
This
summer, though, Conrad and his house have become embroiled in a mortgage scandal
involving special deals for influential Washington politicos. It was revealed
in June that the chief executive of Countrywide Financial, the country's largest
mortgage lender, bestowed special deals on Conrad and other powerful officials.
2
tax office workers, friend of Walters are next to plead guilty in theft scandal
D.C.’s
largest-ever corruption scandal widened Thursday when prosecutors worked out
a plea agreement charging two tax office bureaucrats with mortgage fraud.
In
a “criminal information” filed Thursday, prosecutors said Temika
Gustus and Sheila Jones lied on federal housing applications in order to get
favorable loans from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Former
Spitzer Aides Charged In Troopergate Scandal
The
PIC charges that former Spitzer spokesman Darren Dopp, former Spitzer Chief
of Staff Rich Baum, former Spitzer aide William Howard, and former acting Superintendent
of the State Police Preston Felton all conspired to create travel records in
order to attempt to smear State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno. Bruno, who
retired this month, was then-Governor Spitzer's chief political rival.
Hawaii
pastor accused of molesting girl for years
Manuel
Guillermo Taboada, 56, also known as "Memo," was charged with seven
counts of first- and second-degree sexual assault for allegedly molesting a
member of a family that belonged to his ministry.
PV
mayor's consulting firm falsely certified
Paradise
Valley Mayor Vernon Parker submitted misleading information about his then-status
as a federal employee to get his consulting firm certified through a small-business
program, according to a federal report.
Rapper
DMX indicted on felony charges in Arizona
Maricopa
County Attorney Andrew Thomas says the 37-year-old rapper, whose real name is
Earl Simmons, has been charged with one count of theft and one count of taking
someone else's identity.
Official
charged with embezzlement
A
Lancaster County official was arrested and charged with two counts of embezzlement,
two counts of breach of trust and 12 counts of forgery.
Pharmed
Founders Charged With Fraud, Tax Evasion
The
charges against Carlos and Jorge de Céspedes, were filed by the U.S.
Attorney's office in federal court, through two separate information papers,
which generally means they've agreed to waive their right to be indicted by
a grand jury.
Priest
admits abusing teens
Rev.
Frank Genevive nodded his head as a Suffolk Superior Court judge gave him a
suspended sentence of eight to 10 years.
Ethics
complaint filed against Gibbons
Nevada
State Democrats have filed an ethics complaint against Governor Jim Gibbons.
Detroit
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick accused of texting more women with intimate messages
Detroit
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is now charged with exchanging romantic text messages
with additional women in the scandal that has him fighting allegations that
he lied under oath about an intimate relationship with his former chief of staff.
Audit:
Mich. OKed 'unsuitable' day care providers
A
state audit released Tuesday shows Michigan put thousands of children at risk
by authorizing sex offenders and other "unsuitable" day care providers
between 2003 and 2006.
The
$20,000 question
Powerful
Senate Democrats quietly gave out the money to handpicked nonprofits, schools,
businesses and churches. The lawmakers funneled the money through the Illinois
State Board of Education, which rubber-stamped the choices.
2
Health Insurers to Pay $13M to Calif. Regulators
Both
companies denied any wrongdoing in rescission practices, the industry's term
for dropping patients from coverage when they try to make claims on their health
insurance policies.
Congressman
Didn't Disclose Property Sales
Western
Maryland Rep. Roscoe Bartlett said he wasn't trying to hide anything by underreporting
or failing to report about $1 million in property sales since 2004.
Episcopal
Church under fire for parolee priest
James
Tramel went from convicted murderer to priest while in prison, a transformation
that the Episcopal Church used to successfully lobby for his parole and celebrate
him before politicians and the press.
DCF
Worker Charged In Death Of Infant
A
state Department of Children and Families employee who appeared in court Thursday
to face charges that include manslaughter in the death of her 7-month-old foster
child had been investigated twice by DCF since 2006 in response to allegations
she had abused her adopted 3-year-old son.
Former
Tenn. state senator convicted in corruption
It's
the second corruption conviction for John Ford, who was once one of the state's
most powerful lawmakers. He was sentenced last year to 5 1/2 years in prison
for taking bribes to influence legislation favoring a fake company created by
the FBI.
Seminar
leader guilty of real estate fraud
A
Denver District Court jury found Fredric "Rick" Dryer, former president
of Mile High Capital Group, guilty on 44 of 60 counts of securities fraud, theft
and other charges.
Md.
House majority leader Barve pleads guilty to DUI
The
majority leader of Maryland's House of Delegates pleaded guilty today to driving
under the influence of alcohol, promising a judge he would "never do this
again."
ABC
Board is under FBI investigation
The
FBI has begun a criminal investigation of Mecklenburg County's ABC Board, WCNC
reported Wednesday night.
Jackson
Also Used N-Word in Taped Conversation Critical of Obama
A
FOX News camera captured the Rev. Jesse Jackson uttering the N-word while he
was preparing to tape an interview earlier this month, a word he has denounced
publicly as degrading to African Americans.
S.O.
Director Target Of Probe
Evidence
at the scene suggested that Emily Vernon, 39, was drinking, but no arrest or
citation for the crash was made.
Horsemen's
nonprofit facing probe
Federal
authorities are looking into allegations of irregularities at the state-sanctioned
nonprofit that represents racehorse owners and trainers in Louisiana, ranging
from the possible misuse of hurricane relief donations intended for horsemen
to complaints that the group's last election was manipulated, according to two
sources close to the case.
Feds
nab ACS staffers in subsidy scam
Three
child care workers and two others were charged Wednesday with stealing $1.5
million meant for the city's most vulnerable kids and spending it on fancy cars,
a pricey apartment and other goodies.
Fannie
Mayhem: A History
Another
Person Pleads Guilty In County Corruption Scandal
Fernando
Parra, 31, was originally arrested in January on three unrelated charges dealing
with child pornography. During an FBI search of county offices, the FBI allegedly
found child pornography on his computer.
Money
Scandal Tarnishes Tex. College
Priscilla
Slade, a former accounting professor at the historically black, open-enrollment
university, was using university money to dress, decorate and landscape her
house, take spa treatments and exercise classes.
Principal
caught in sex scandal
Police
say 41-year-old Gabriel Dejesus was caught having sex with two men in the backyard
of a vacant house in Greenburgh.
On
injury leave, firefighter stood out as bodybuilder
For
Boston firefighter Albert Arroyo, March and April were ostensibly rough months.
He reported falling on March 21 and suffering a back injury so severe that,
a few weeks later, his doctor wrote that Arroyo should be granted an accidental
disability retirement because he is "totally and permanently disabled."
Yet
after being out of work for six weeks and collecting his full salary tax-free,
Arroyo achieved a remarkable feat: He finished eighth in a men's bodybuilding
competition, the 2008 Pro Natural American Championships.
FEMA
Supplies Finally to be Handed Out in Lafayette
Just
two months shy of the third anniversary of Hurricane Rita - supplies meant to
help in the storm's immediate aftermath are just arriving in Acadiana.
Firefighter
To Face Attempted Murder Charge
Springfield
police plan to charge a city firefighter with attempted murder after an assault
that left a 45-year-old man with a slashed throat.
Investigation
targets key lawmaker
The
federal government late Wednesday indicted the most powerful legislator yet
in its wide-ranging investigation of Alaska government corruption.
This
time it was Sen. John Cowdery, R-Anchorage, who has been a key player in the
Senate majority over the last four years.
New
Nepotism Charges Leveled Against Edgerly
Former
Oakland City Administrator Deborah Edgerly is facing new allegations of wrongdoing
with reports claiming Edgerly arranged summer jobs with the city for her own
children and that they were paid even when they didn’t show up for work.
Lakers
tickets, sexual massages doled out to win contract, ex-L.A. deputy mayor testifies
A
former Los Angeles deputy mayor testified Thursday that ex-city commissioner
Leland Wong gave him Lakers tickets and paid for massages that included sexual
favors while pressuring him to help a Taiwanese shipping firm obtain a lucrative
city port lease.
Lawmakers
accept playoff tickets bought by lobbyist
Democratic
Sens. Ross Romero and Scott McCoy received tickets to a Jazz playoff game against
the Los Angeles Lakers, along with Republican state Rep. Kerry Gibson. The tickets
were worth $400.
Ex-diplomat:
Sex with teens OK in foreign cultures
Gons
G. Nachman, 42, pleaded guilty in April to possessing child pornography after
admitting that he had sex with 14- to 17-year-old girls while serving as a consular
officer in Brazil and Congo and documenting the encounters in pictures and videos.
Former
Greater Egg Harbor Regional school official charged with theft, official misconduct
A
former school administrator turned himself in Wednesday on charges linked to
allegations that he auctioned school-funded technology equipment online.
Veon,
Others Indicted In Legislative Bonus Scandal
The
bonuses, funded with taxpayer money, came to light in January 2007, when The
Patriot-News of Harrisburg reported that House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese,
D-Greene, had written to recipients of "meritorious or bonus pay,"
instructing them to keep quiet about the supplemental payments.
Assembly
aide accused of welfare fraud
A
state Assembly staffer who retired last month making close to $80,000-a-year
ripped off nearly $53,000 from the Albany County Department of Social Services
by lying about her income on benefit applications.
Funds
Misappropriated at 2 Nonprofit Groups
Two
prominent national nonprofit groups are reeling from public disclosures that
large sums of money were misappropriated in unrelated incidents by an employee
and a former employee.
Supplies
for Katrina victims went to Mississippi agencies
But
the Mississippi hurricane victims who originally were intended to receive the
supplies got nothing, a CNN investigation has found.
Former
Refco CEO Gets 16 Years for Cover-Up
Phillip
Bennett, a British citizen living in Gladstone, N.J., had previously pleaded
guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and other charges.
Refco
went public in August 2005. It filed for bankruptcy just weeks later -- after
disclosing that a $430 million debt owed to Refco by a firm controlled by Bennett
had been concealed.
Snooping
On Stars' Passport Files Rampant
An
internal State Department investigation suggests that employees may have been
snooping on the passport records of celebrities far more than previously disclosed,
and recommends new steps to secure the files.
Employers
Use Income Security Act To Deny Benefits
The
story has played out often under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security
Act. Designed to protect employee benefits, the law has been used by employers
as a shield against suits.
Local
Women Face Animal Cruelty Charges
Two
women who ran an animal shelter in Manassas are facing animal cruelty charges.
Denver
Archdiocese settles priest sex-abuse lawsuits
The
archdiocese of Denver has agreed to pay $5.5 million to settle 18 claims of
sexual abuse against its priests in incidents that happened between 1954 and
1981.
Former
Sen. Bromwell To Report To Prison
Bromwell
was sentenced in November after pleading guilty to accepting hundreds of thousands
of dollars from a construction company executive in return for securing state
contracts.
Obama
Supports More Faith-Based Programs
Reaching
out to evangelical voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on
Tuesday announced plans to expand President George W. Bush's program steering
federal social service dollars to religious groups and -- in a move sure to
cause controversy -- support some ability to hire and fire based on faith.
JUDGE:
Wal-Mart violated labor laws '2 million times'
A
judge has ruled against Wal-Mart in a class-action lawsuit, saying the discount
retailer violated state labor laws 2 million times by cutting worker break time
and "willfully" allowing employees to work off the clock.
Woman
dies ignored on hospital waiting room floor
City
hospital officials said they were shocked by surveillance footage showing a
woman falling from her chair, writhing on the floor and dying as workers failed
to help for more than an hour.
$100,000
gift led the attack on ethanol
Gov.
Rick Perry's request for a waiver of federal corn-based ethanol production mandates
was prompted by a March meeting he had with East Texas poultry producer Lonnie
"Bo" Pilgrim, who six days later gave $100,000 to the Republican Governors
Association chaired by Perry.
Serious
patient errors at California hospitals disclosed in state filings
Last
October, a technician at the children's hospital at Stanford University improperly
connected a ventilator hose, accidentally pumping too little oxygen into a 9-day-old
infant's lungs.
Palm
Beach money manager pleads guilty to hiring underage girls for sex
Mega-rich
Palm Beach-New York-Virgin Islands money manager Jeffrey Epstein traded his
navy sport coat for a jail uniform today after pleading guilty to hiring underage
Palm Beach County girls for erotic massages and sex.
U.S.
Escalating Covert Operations Against Iran
U.S.
congressional leaders agreed late last year to President George W. Bush's funding
request for a major escalation of covert operations against Iran aimed at destabilizing
its leadership, according to a report in The New Yorker magazine published online
on Sunday.
Surgeon
Suspended After Removing Wrong Lung
A
New Jersey surgeon's medical license was suspended after state regulators found
he removed the wrong lung from a patient, then tried to conceal the error.
Arizona
state legislator arrested for domestic violence
Representative
Mark DeSimone was arrested after police received the call from his home around
11:45 p.m.
Teacher
charged with exposing self to bus full of girls
The
criminal complaint says members of the Cannon Falls High School softball team
say a man drove up alongside the bus and exposed his genitals on April 22.
Probe
may turn on taxes
State
prosecutors have subpoenaed records from the Maryland comptroller's office,
suggesting that the long-standing investigation into City Hall might involve
state taxes.
Ex-IRS
Manager Pleads Guilty In Tax Scam
A
former manager for the Internal Revenue Service has pleaded guilty to taking
part in an alleged scheme to defraud the city's tax office out of tens of millions
of dollars.
Toll-takers
charged with skimming cash
Ten
toll-takers at the Ted Williams and Sumner Tunnels have been charged with larceny
after an investigation by State Police and prosecutors found that they were
routinely skimming up to $150 per shift.
Dixon
Probe Focuses On Gift Cards
Sources
told 11 News that the ongoing investigation currently centers on the allegation
that gift cards solicited by Dixon for the benefit of disadvantaged city children
and residents were instead converted for her own use.
Former
postal union head gets prison for embezzlement
The
former head of a postal workers union will be doing time in federal prison for
embezzling more than $170,000 from the union.
Broadcom
co-founder Henry Samueli to plead guilty in stock options fraud case
Anaheim
Ducks owner Henry Samueli has agreed to plead guilty to lying to federal authorities
about his role in the backdating of stock options at Broadcom Corp., the Irvine
computer chip company he co-founded, documents filed in federal court disclosed
today.
District
Heights Mayor Arrested on Prostitution Charge
District
Height's Web site says Walls, an ordained Baptist minister and Bowie State University
graduate, was the youngest person to serve as mayor when he was elected in 2006.
Lawmaker
Charges State Department Covered Up for U.S. Contractor
A
U.S. ambassador may have helped cover up for an American defense contractor
now accused of selling ammo from China to the Pentagon, according to a senior
House lawmaker.
Warrant
issued for CBS News anchor Katie Couric
According
to the New York Daily News, the state Department of Taxation and Finance issued
the warrant for the newswoman's failure to pay an outstanding bill of $210.41
from 2003.
Bush
Refuses To Release EPA Documents
President
Bush asserted executive privilege Friday to withhold documents from a congressional
investigation into whether he pressured the Environmental Protection Agency
to weaken decisions on smog and greenhouse gases.
Report:
Ohio Teacher Burned Cross on Students' Arms
Mount
Vernon Middle School teacher John Freshwater was insubordinate in failing to
remove a Bible and other religious materials from his classroom and continued
to preach his Christian beliefs despite complaints by other teachers and administrators,
the report also said.
Priest
in sex scandal sacked
Bishop
Jose Manguiran of the Diocese of Dipolog has revoked the priestly offices and
functions of Fr. Reynaldo M. Pardillada, 37, who is accused of having an illicit
affair with a married Filipina while serving at the Epiphany Church in Cliffside
Park, New Jersey.
Pastor
Gets 5 Years In Sex Abuse Case
The
judge also ordered Monday that Pastor Leon Rankins III of the Restoration Full
Gospel Baptist Church is required to register as a sexual predator.
Former
Fairbanks mayor, wife report to federal prison
Former
Fairbanks Mayor Jim Hayes and his wife, Chris, have started serving their federal
prison terms in Forth Worth, Texas.
The
Hayes’ were convicted of stealing hundreds of thousand of dollars in government
grants to finance construction of a new church where Jim Hayes was pastor.
Md.
authorities seize documents from mayor's home
The
probe by the state prosecutor's office, which investigates public corruption,
began more than two years ago and involves city money that went to companies
employing Dixon's sister and her former campaign chairman.
Walgreens
Accused Of Scamming Taxpayers
The
scheme was blown wide open by a whistleblower, a pharmacist who doesn’t
want to appear on camera. He said Walgreens rigged its computers to automatically
switch to the most expensive type of pill.
REV.
AL SOAKS UP BOYCOTT BUCKS
Terrified
of negative publicity, fearful of a consumer boycott or eager to make nice with
the civil-rights activist, CEOs write checks, critics say, to NAN and Sharpton
- who brandishes the buying power of African-American consumers. In some cases,
they hire him as a consultant.
Scandal
hits new terminal
The
probe also is focusing on whether so-called disadvantaged business enterprises
-- typically minority- or female-owned companies -- are acting as fronts for
other businesses to win contracts.
McMahans
guilty of conspiracy, accepting bribes
A
jury convicted state Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan and his wife Saturday
on felony counts of conspiracy and accepting bribes.
Black
Gold Scandal in Bluegrass State
Gary
Milby is the target of a federal case for allegedly swindling hundreds of people,
including many senior citizens, who invested in his oil business.
Seeking
Free Home, Ex-Legislator Will Get a Prison Cell Instead
Calling
her actions “an outrageous breach of trust,” a judge sentenced Diane
M. Gordon, a former state assemblywoman from Brooklyn, to two to six years in
prison on Thursday for offering to help a developer acquire city land if he
would build her a house free.
NMSU
porn scandal fallout continues
With
an external investigation into the dismissal of former professors John Moraros
and Yelena Bird forthcoming, leaders of the New Mexico State University College
of Health and Social Services have either stepped down or been removed.
House
Approves Bill To Raise Lawmaker Pay
The
Louisiana House on Friday approved a proposal to more than double legislators'
pay, an idea that sparked howls of anger from talk radio callers, editorialists
and bloggers.
C.J.
Williams Arrested on New Charges in Florida
A
Montgomery daycare owner found not guilty of child molestation is in a Pensacola,
Florida jail accused of sex offenses against minors.
Missouri
pastor held for trial on sex charges
A
woman who says she was raped and sodomized by the pastor of a small southwest
Missouri church when she was 16 testified Monday that he told her the sex acts
were to please God.
Witnesses:
Priest often in the nude
Robert
Whipkey, 53, was arrested when he was seen heading home on June 22 last year
after a predawn jog in the buff.
BBC
uncovers lost Iraq billions
A
BBC investigation estimates that around $23bn may have been lost, stolen or
just not properly accounted for in Iraq.
Former
Howard teacher gets 4 years in prison for sexually abusing student
Alan
Meade Beier, 54, was convicted in March of sexually abusing a minor and of second-degree
assault. According to prosecutors, Beier took 41 photos of a boy, then 16, in
his classroom after school at River Hill High in Clarksville, where he taught
science. In some of the photos, the student was naked.
Kilpatrick's
pal thrives on city contracts
Bobby
Ferguson, who has been at the mayor's side at black-tie social events and on
the backs of motorcycles, has long claimed the relationship hurts his general
contracting company's ability to land contracts. But an analysis of records
by The Detroit News shows his share of water department contracts has jumped
more than 20-fold since Kilpatrick took office.
Fire
chief to retire amid probe
The
chief of a Warren County fire department who was under investigation for allegedly
sexually harassing and bullying his staff has announced that he will retire
July 1.
Bernie
Becker, who has headed the Clearcreek Fire District since 1997, submitted a
letter of intent to Township Safety Director Ron Wilhelm last week.
Victim's
mother testifies at church trial for Pa. bishop
The
testimony came as a church trial opened for Bishop Charles E. Bennison Jr. of
the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. He is accused of concealing the sexual
abuse of a 14-year-old girl by his brother, then a lay minister at a California
church where Bennison was rector.
Scandal
Prompts WVU President to Resign
West
Virginia University President Michael Garrison announced his resignation yesterday,
seeking to end a scandal stemming from the university's awarding of an unearned
degree to the governor's daughter.
Indict
Intrepid overseer in pier-fix bribe
The
feds have charged a former city engineer with pocketing more than $50,000 in
bribes from a company involved in fixing the pier where the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space
Museum is located.
A
Brooklyn federal grand jury indicted Charles Kriss, of the Department of Citywide
Administrative Services, on corruption charges.
Rep.
George Miller delivers millions for campaign contributor
Rep.
George Miller, an outspoken critic of the Iraq war, has secured $4.6 million
in federal funding for a Martinez firm that has earned millions selling equipment
to the U.S. Army for use in the war effort and whose executives have contributed
to his campaign and political action committees.
Dormont
Soccer Coach, Boy Scout Leader Faces Child Porn Charges
George
Michael Carvlin, 54, was arrested in Monroe County for sending child porn to
who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. It was actually a police officer.
Detroit
mayor vetoes funds for lawyers trying to remove him
Detroit
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has vetoed $250,000 set aside by the City Council to
pay for lawyers to try to remove him from office amid a text-messaging sex scandal.
Texas
agency under magnifying glass over sect raid
For
nearly two months, Texas child welfare officials had insisted conditions at
a polygamist group's ranch were so abusive that none of its members should be
allowed to keep their children.
However,
some close to the debacle say the operation was doomed from the start by a series
of missteps.
Self-report
shows ASU doesn't make the grade
The
final self-report submitted by Alabama State University in its investigation
into possible NCAA rules violations includes allegations of a pay-for-grades
scandal and revelations that the school failed to investigate numerous illicit
grade changes uncovered by an administrator seven years ago.
Tainted
Drug Imports Set Off Warnings, Not FDA Action
Two
Americans died and 15 suffered seizures. The suspected cause: The epilepsy medicine
they depended on stopped working because of a counterfeit ingredient from overseas.
Deacon
Charged With Lewd Act
Police
said Pitchford apparently does not practice what he teaches in Sunday School.
Police say after church at the Holy Redeemer Church of God in Christ on Sunday
afternoon, he was arrested and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior at
Milwaukee's Estabrook Park.
Media
police assault takes down legit video website
BitTorrent
watchdog MediaDefender is once again taking heat after it was accused of launching
a pernicious attack that brought down a web-based distributor of legal video.
Judge
Rejects Indicted La. Congressman's Bribery Theory
A
federal judge has refused to toss out a bribery indictment against a Louisiana
congressman who argued that his alleged misdeeds were technically more akin
to influence peddling than bribery.
FBI
Serves Search Warrant at Maryland State Senator's Home
At
least eight FBI agents rolled in to the home of state senator Ulysses Currie
late Thursday afternoon. FBI only said the raid was part of an ongoing investigation.
Navy
worker pleads guilty to taking bribes, agrees to help investigation
Leslie
E. Doggett Jr., a former civilian purchasing agent at Norfolk Naval Station,
admitted in federal court Thursday that he took more than $34,000 in bribes
from an unidentified vendor.
Dell
deceived customers, judge says
Dell
Inc. deceived customers in a massive "bait and switch" scheme to increase
sales of its computer and electronic products, a New York state judge ruled
Tuesday.
Austin
fireman who stopped for burger on way to call fired
Firefighter
Michael Pooler's decision to stop at the Burger House next to his fire station
before jumping onto a fire truck delayed the emergency response by two minutes,
said Acting Fire Chief Jim Evans.
Former
superintendent pleads guilty
Former
Marble City Superintendent Larry Couch of Vian admitted embezzling nearly 1
million dollars from the school and filing a false income tax return.
Bulls'
Noah arrested for marijuana possession
Authorities
in Gainesville have charged Chicago Bulls forward and former Florida star Joakim
Noah with possession of marijuana and having an open container of alcohol.
GAO:
Port Security Still Lacking
The
Government Accountability Office said the Customs-Trade Partnership Against
Terrorism program relies too heavily on self-reported information from those
involved. The flaws, the agency said, allows some 8,000 importers, port authorities,
and air, sea and land carriers to get benefits such as reduced scrutiny of their
cargo.
Report:
Aid Workers Abusing Kids
A
Save the Children UK report released Tuesday alleges rampant sexual abuse of
children at the hands of peacekeepers and international aid workers in war zones
and disaster areas.
Ex-N.C.
official pleads guilty to corruption
Boyce
Allen Hudson pleaded guilty Tuesday to extortion and money laundering. He will
face up to 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine at a sentencing hearing set
for July.
2
state nursing homes land on U.S. watch list
In
Maryland, ManorCare-Rossville in Baltimore County and the Waldorf Center in
Charles County were listed because of serious violations of federal and state
regulations, said Wendy Kronmiller, director of the state Office of Health Care
Quality.
Lorain
councilman Flores busted in sex sting
A
drunken city councilman on the prowl was caught Friday night in a prostitution
sting, Lorain police said.
Dennis
Flores, D-2nd Ward, was charged with solicitation and DUI at 11:27 p.m., after
driving up to a decoy prostitute.
Plea
deal saves Orlando Cepeda, costs a prosecutor
A
discreetly entered plea bargain allowed Baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda
to escape felony drug prosecution and walk away from court with a $100 misdemeanor
fine Friday.
In
court, Deputy District Attorney Joe Camarata agreed to a plea deal allowing
Cepeda to plead no contest to a charge of being in possession of less than 1
ounce of marijuana. The cocaine and a hypodermic syringe posession charges were
dismissed.
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