ScandalTimes.com
Archive Page
Mt.
Vernon Man Indicted On Bribe And Misconduct Charges
The
Westchester County District Attorney's office announced that Arthur Rose, 49,
of Mount Vernon, New York was arraigned on a seven count indictment.
L.A.
assistant principal arrested on kidnapping, sex assault charges
A
Los Angeles middle school administrator was arrested today on suspicion of kidnapping
and two counts of sexually assaulting a student, police said.
Former
Alaska governor's aide pleads guilty
The
chief of staff for former Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski has agreed to plead guilty
to fraud in an ongoing corruption probe involving an oil-field-services company.
Celebrity
Mugshots
Airborne
Pays Up
The
maker of Airborne has agreed to pay millions of dollars to consumers, after
allegations, that the product is not as advertised.
Jury
to begin hearing case against ex-mayor
Sharpe
James is accused of arranging for the sale of nine city-owned properties at
discounted rates to co-defendant Tamika Riley, who then sold them for big profits.
Bankruptcy
makes gift cards worthless
As
more retailers file for bankruptcy or go out of business, more than $75 million
in gift cards are at risk of becoming worthless pieces of plastic this year.
New
child sex-assault charges filed against firefighter
Despite
the revelation by prosecutors that a fourth person has come forward to implicate
a veteran Hunterdon County firefighter in a growing child sexual-assault case,
a state Superior Court judge Friday lowered the man's bail by $125,000.
Lexington
Co. Council member arrested
A
Lexington County Council member is under arrest and charged with leaving the
scene of an accident with an attended vehicle.
Boston
fire test will be voided
State
civil service officials will scrap the results of a Boston firefighter promotional
exam after an investigation of cheating allegations showed that numerous firefighters
talked during the test, brought cellphones into the testing room, and took unusually
frequent trips to the men's room, say two public officials briefed on the probe
results.
Celebrity
TV Chef Robert Irvine Reportedly Fired Over Spiced-Up Resume
Food
Network plans to drop celebrity chef Robert Irvine, host of "Dinner: Impossible,"
from the cable channel's lineup for cooking up a resume with plenty of garnish
but light on honest ingredients, according to reports on several online news
sites.
Former
Burnsville AC commissioner charged
The
Dakota County attorney charged 47-year-old Douglas Jay Jahnke with six counts
each of theft by swindle, check forgery, and offering a forged check in connection
with the disappearance of funds from the Burnsville Athletic Club.
Big
Dig contractor accused of $300,000 fraud
A
criminal complaint filed by US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan alleged that McCourt
Construction engaged in a scheme to overbill the Central Artery/Tunnel Project
by falsely categorizing apprentice ironworkers and other trades workers as higher-paid
journeymen. The company also allegedly failed to verify that subcontractor bills
were submitted correctly.
FBI
begins investigation of Clemens
The
FBI has begun investigating whether Roger Clemens lied to Congress when he denied
taking steroids, officials said Thursday in the case of another baseball star
snared in a long-running inquiry into drug use by professional athletes.
2
Inspectors on Leave Over Beef Recall
The
U.S. Department of Agriculture has suspended at least two federal meat inspectors
following the largest beef recall in the nation's history, a union head said
Friday.
Bobby
Brown Avoids Criminal Drug Charges
Singer
Bobby Brown will not face any criminal charges after police said they found
a small amount of cocaine in his possession, but has agreed to a year's community
service.
Records:
Jackson late on home payments
Public
documents show Michael Jackson has repeatedly failed to make mortgage payments
on a Los Angeles home that has been used for years by his family.
The
singer had $153,910 in missed payments as of Jan. 17 on a $4 million loan serviced
by Pasadena-based mortgage lender IndyMac Bancorp. Documents dated Feb. 7 show
the notice of default was withdrawn.
Judge
Delays Ford Prison Report Date
A
federal judge will take another day to decide whether former state Sen. John
Ford should remain free after his bribery conviction.
Thompson
Pleads Guilty In Federal Court
Former
Shelby County Commissioner Bruce Thompson pleaded guilty in federal court this
morning.
Thompson
was originally charged with fraud and extortion for taking more than $260,000
from contractors claiming, he could control the Memphis school board's vote
on a contract for a $47 million project to build three schools ...
Elections
board splits on criminal charges
Ohio
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner will decide whether criminal charges should
be sought against four people, including a state senator, who failed to appear
last month before the Summit County Board of Elections.
Jury
selection under way in corruption trial of ex-Newark mayor
A
federal judge quizzes potential jurors in the first of two corruption trials
for former Newark Mayor Sharpe James.
The
72-year-old James is on trial with Tamika Riley. Prosecutors say he abused his
power by arranging for the sale of nine city-owned properties at discounted
rates to Riley.
Forgery
ruling won’t spur criminal case
The
head of a company that recently won the city’s garbage-collection business
isn’t likely to face criminal charges for the forgery and fraud cases
that a civil court jury found her liable for last week.
Ogle
will avoid criminal case over horses
The
former animal shelter director who resigned earlier this month amid criticism
of mismanagement and neglect of duties likely will not face charges.
"Male
Enhancement" Drug Guru In Hot Water
A
federal court jury on Friday found the owner of a company that sells "male
enhancement" tablets and other herbal supplements guilty on charges of
conspiracy to commit mail fraud, bank fraud and money laundering.
Regional
agency head suspended after DUI arrest in Martin County
The
leader of a Treasure Coast-wide agency established to provide classes for people
convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs was suspended from
her job Wednesday in the wake of her DUI arrest Monday.
N.
Tonawanda pastor, 80, is asked to resign in scandal
A
popular North Tonawanda pastor who is accused of inappropriately touching women
in his congregation has been asked to resign.
The
Rev. A.W. Moldenhauer, pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church for the last 53
years, was suspended from his ministry earlier this month.
Cities,
counties find loophole to red-light cameras, fines
Florida
law prohibits local governments from using images from cameras mounted at intersections
to issue traffic tickets, but some cities have found a loophole.
Microsoft
class action suit over Vista approved
The
lawsuit said Microsoft's labeling of some PCs as "Windows Vista Capable"
was misleading because many of those computers were not powerful enough to run
all of Vista's features, including the much-touted "Aero" user interface.
Canceled
Cancer Patient Awarded $9 Million
Patsy
Bates, 52, a hairdresser from Gardena, had been left with more than $129,000
in unpaid medical bills when Health Net Inc. canceled her policy in 2004.
Inmates
Handle Citizens' Personal Info
Criminals
see almost 1 million state documents -- some of them sensitive -- every year,
and they are paid to do it, the I-Team reported.
Former
mayor, police chief accused of tainting Eastover election
Chris
Campbell and Tim Ford are both former Eastover town leaders and now, co-defendants
in a trial that could land both men in prison.
Arizona
congressman Renzi indicted
Three-term
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) was indicted today by a federal grand jury on charges
that he improperly brokered a federal land swap that benefited a business partner
and himself.
The
35-count indictment, handed up by a grand jury in Tucson, Ariz., also accuses
Renzi of embezzling over $400,000 in premiums from an insurance agency owned
by his family. That money, the indictment alleges, was used to fund Renzi's
first congressional campaign in 2001 and 2002.
Central
Washington VP Resigns In Credit Card Scandal
Paul
Baker, vice president of university relations for Central Washington University,
has resigned in the wake of a credit card scandal in his office.
Norfolk
teacher accused of sending improper photos of herself to students
A
Granby High School teacher accused of sending improper photos of herself to
students via cell phone has been arrested.
Long
Branch fire chief arrested for embezzlement
A
SLED report says from January 2005 through December 2007, Horace G. Delk, Jr.
of Barnwell, stole more than $5,000 from the department and spent it for himself.
Four
plead guilty in Miami airport fuel scandal
Four
of the men charged in the Miami International Airport fuel farm scandal pleaded
guilty Wednesday, closing out one aspect of the wide-ranging corruption probe.
D.C.
Tax Scam Could Top $50 Million
Investigators
now believe employees in the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue stole nearly $50
million by using fraudulent commercial property tax refunds, more than twice
the total previously thought, according to the Washington Post.
Teacher
Gets Prison in Sex Case
A
former middle school teacher has been sent to prison for six years for having
sex with five teenage boys.
12
Years for Contractor in Bribery Case
A
defense contractor was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison Tuesday for bribing
former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham with cash, trips and other gifts
in exchange for nearly $90 million in Pentagon work.
Female
Ref Banned From Boys' Game
Just
minutes before she was scheduled to referee a boy's varsity basketball game
at St. Mary's Academy, Michelle Campbell was told she would not be allowed to
work the game because she is a woman.
Manila's
Arroyo described as "evil" in graft probe
The
inquiry, into allegations of bribery in a telecoms deal, has prompted renewed
calls for Arroyo's resignation and sparked the biggest protests since 2005,
when tens of thousands of people demonstrated against her amid accusations of
election fraud.
Allianz
Life Insurance agrees to $10M settlement
Allianz
Life Insurance Co., the largest seller of annuities in California, agreed to
a $10 million settlement with the state Department of Insurance for allegedly
targeting thousands of seniors in deceptive annuity sales.
Puerto
Rico Department of Education Pays U.S. Over $19 Million to Settle False Claims
Involving Migrant Education Program
The
Puerto Rico
Department of Education (PRDE) has paid over $19 million to settle
allegations that the PRDE falsely certified its eligibility to receive
federal funds under the Migrant Education Program, the Justice Department announced
today.
Fla.
State imposes 2 years probation in cheating scandal
All
Florida State sports teams will be on self-imposed probation for two years and
some will lose scholarships because of an academic cheating scandal.
HP
Spying Scandal Finally Put to Rest
The
scandal, which came to light in late 2006, focused on allegations that Hewlett-Packard
hired investigators who impersonated reporters, board members and employees
to obtain private phone records to find the source of leaks to the media in
2005 and 2006.
Former
state senator indicted on influence-peddling charges
A
federal grand jury today indicted former state Sen. Joseph Coniglio, a Bergen
County Democrat and plumber by trade, for allegedly setting up a fake consulting
company to steer taxpayer dollars to one of the state's premier hospitals.
Arkansas
Day Care Teacher Charged With Raping Girl, 4, After Incident Caught on Tape
An
Arkansas day care teacher is charged with raping a 4-year-old girl during nap
time. Police say the incident was caught on closed-circuit video.
Former
Mayor Jim Hayes found guilty on 16 counts
A
federal jury found former Fairbanks Mayor Jim Hayes guilty Monday of working
with his wife to steal money from social-service grants between 2001 and 2005.
Former
inspector sentenced for accepting bribe
Miguel
Diaz was one three city workers and a contractor arrested last March on federal
payoff charges with the help of the city's inspector general.
Episcopal
church court convicts priest of sexual misconduct
The
religious court of the Houston-based Episcopal Diocese of Texas found the Rev.
James L. Tucker guilty of immoral behavior and conduct unbecoming of a clergyman.
U.S.
Official Charged With Selling Secrets
A
Defense Department analyst and a former engineer for Boeing Co. were charged
Monday in separate spy cases for allegedly handing over military secrets to
the Chinese government, the Justice Department said.
Cheney
fights release of videos
The
office of Vice President Dick Cheney is seeking to block the release of videotaped
depositions given by two aides who witnessed a physical encounter between an
Iraq war opponent and Cheney.
Teacher,
Officer Accused Of Sex Crimes With Girl
A
police officer and a teacher are both accused of having inappropriate sexual
contact with a 17-year-old girl, Turlock police said. Carl Kubicek, a math teacher
and football coach at Pitman High School, and Officer Jorge Cruz were arrested.
Police
say shot firefighters linked to NFL counterfeit scam
Two
Dallas firefighters shot while walking to their hotel from a suburban Phoenix
nightclub hours after the Super Bowl ended were being investigated for allegedly
selling counterfeit NFL merchandise, police said Thursday.
Bethel
AME music director charged with rape
The
31-year-old music director of Bethel AME, a high-profile West Baltimore church,
has been accused of rape and child abuse in a case involving a 13-year-old girl
who is a member of the congregation, according to city police and church officials.
Feds:
Georgia Misused Emergency Grants
The
Georgia Emergency Management Agency used a flawed purchasing system and failed
to properly oversee local departments as it managed more than $100 million in
first-responder grants coming to the state, a federal audit released Friday
said.
Headstone
heartache for one CT family
Families
have paid for cemetery headstones, but they claim the Meriden Company has not
delivered. Now those families are fighting to either get back their money or
get what they were promised.
Marc
Jacobs Firm Is Probed in Bribery Scandal
Attorney
General Cuomo is charging a former superintendent of the armory with demanding
about $30,000 worth of bribes over the last eight years from businesses, including
that of Mr. Jacobs, that were eager to use the space.
Southern
Union scandal widens
Former
Southern Union State Community College acting president Joanne Jordan has agreed
to plead guilty to charges of obstruction of justice for giving false testimony
to a federal grand jury investing Roy Johnson, according to the U.S. Attorney’s
office.
U.S.
Indicts 3 Firms In Tainted Pet Food Cases
Two
Chinese businesses and a U.S. company were indicted Wednesday in the tainted
pet food incidents that killed dozens of animals last year and raised worries
about products made in China.
Pain
doctor faces federal charges in Medicare scam
A
Maryland pain doctor is facing criminal charges after a nearly two-year federal
investigation into millions of dollars in insurance claims that his office submitted
to Medicare and other insurance programs.
DCF
to review personnel records
The
head of the Department of Children and Families, "horrified and shocked"
by the arrest of his agency spokesman on child-pornography charges, Monday ordered
a review of personnel records for all DCF employees.
Felony
charges filed in massive Utah real estate investment fraud case
Ogden
businessman Val E. Southwick was charged in state court today with nine felony
charges for allegedly bilking 817 investors out of $140 million in what is described
as a massive Ponzi scheme involving a web of real estate development and financing
companies.
Manhattan
court convicts former banker
Hafiz
Muhammad Zubair Naseem was also convicted of one count of conspiracy in the
case in which prosecutors say Naseem, while working at Credit Suisse in New
York, fed confidential information to his former boss in Pakistan about upcoming
mergers.
Teacher
Held in Forgery of Time-Off Requests
A
daughter of Lynne F. Stewart, the defense lawyer convicted of aiding terrorism
by smuggling messages out of prison for a client, was arrested on Monday on
charges of forgery and falsifying documents she submitted to take time off from
her teaching job, some of it during her mother’s trial and sentencing.
Judicial
Watch releases 2007 list of the 10 most corrupt politicians
Judicial
Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government
corruption, released its 2007 list of Washington's “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt
Politicians” last month.
Mortgage
Banker Admits Role In Cunningham Case
A
New York mortgage broker pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and making a false
statement to a federal grand jury in connection with the processing of fraudulent
loans for ex-congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham's home in Rancho
Santa Fe.
Ex-car
dealer faces 76 years in prison
A
former Piqua auto dealer could receive up to 76 years in prison and fines of
more than $155,000 after pleading no contest Monday to more than 30 felony charges
accusing him of illegal activity in the sale of vehicles and warranties.
Bank
Branch Manager Fleeces Elderly Man, Manatee Deputies Say
Milton
Lowry Hagelberger, 43, is being held on $1.15 million bail in Sarasota County
Jail today after being arrested in connection to the fraud case.
Texas
mayor resigns amid pet dog scandal
A
small-town mayor accused of secretly keeping her neighbors' dog after telling
them the pet died has resigned, and a judge is set to decide custody of the
Shih Tzu.
State
investigates fire chiefs' test scandal in Orlando
Months
after two Orlando Fire Department chiefs were demoted in a cheating scandal,
the state attorney is investigating to determine whether they committed a crime,
the Orlando Sentinel has learned.
RED
LIGHT FOR TRAFFIC-SIGNAL SCANDAL BIDDER
The
indictment of labor powerhouse Brian Mc Laughlin has shattered a longtime stranglehold
on contracts to maintain the city's vast network of traffic signals.
Ala.
senator won't be punished for punch
A
Republican state senator who punched a Democratic colleague in the head on the
Senate floor will not be punished, a legislative panel said Thursday.
Health
agency scandal growing
The
Pinellas County Health Department will request an investigation into how it
handled hundreds of thousands of dollars earmarked for programs for disadvantaged
children and minorities.
Teacher
Charged With Sex Abuse
Investigators
said 25-year-old Lee Holmes of Greensboro is a teacher at Lockerman Middle School
in Denton and allegedly had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old female
student.
Pittsburgh
Teacher Accused Of Sex Assault In Upper St. Clair
Regis
Kirby, who teaches at Carrick High School, was taken to Allegheny County Jail
after his arraignment Wednesday on charges that include involuntary deviate
sexual intercourse and furnishing alcohol to minors.
Woman
charged in school money theft
A
Calais woman has been charged with stealing nearly $200,000 from the Calais
School Department over a three-year period.
Police
say Ohio nurse accused of rape abused 14 patients
Authorities
in Ohio say a nightshift nurse abused at least 14 nursing home patients, many
of whom were incapacitated, since the mid-1980s.
Sick
Cattle Used to Feed School Children
A
hidden-camera investigation by an animal rights group has uncovered disturbing
treatment of ailing cows at a California slaughterhouse that provides meat for
school lunches.
DC
Porn Scandal Highlights Need for Data Control
When
Vivek Kundra, the new chief technology officer for the city of Washington, started
to investigate Web use in his network last December, he couldn't predict that
his data management tactics would lead to a major scandal involving 18 government
agencies.
DEMOTED
SCANDAL FIGURE PROMOTED
Top
aides to Gov. Spitzer have secretly promoted a central figure in the Dirty Tricks
Scandal who was demoted last summer after his involvement was revealed, The
Post has learned.
Financial
officer sentence to six months
A
federal judge in New York on Monday sentenced a former chief financial officer
at Belcamp's SafeNet, Inc., to six months in prison.
JAIL
'SICKOS' GO FREE
A
doctor's note would be a get-out-of-jail-free card for many violent felons under
a new cost-savings plan in Gov. Spitzer's budget.
Trial
begins for famed pathologist accused of misusing office
A
celebrity pathologist went on trial Monday on charges accusing him of using
public resources to further his multimillion-dollar private practice while working
as Allegheny County medical examiner and coroner.
BEAUTY
QUEENS GONE BAD
Detroit
mayor's chief of staff to quit amid perjury charges, scandal
Christine
Beatty, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s chief of staff, said Monday she plans
to resign effective next month amid allegations that she and the mayor lied
under oath about an affair.
Cheating
scandal shuts down crime lab's DNA section
The
DNA/Serology Section of the HPD Crime Lab has been shut down after the head
of the DNA testing lab resigned and two other crime lab employees were suspended
following an investigation into proficiency exam cheating.
"Clean"
Movie Maven Arrested For Teen Sex
A
Utah retailer of family-friendly tapes and DVDs - Hollywood films with the "dirty
parts" cut out of them - has been arrested for trading sex with two 14-year-old
girls.
School
board puts the D in graduation
With
a unanimous vote, the Fayetteville Board of Education approved no longer requiring
high school seniors to achieve a minimum 2. 0 grade-point average to graduate.
Donaghy's
sentencing in betting scandal moved to April
Donaghy,
who pleaded guilty last August to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and transmitting
betting information across state lines, is scheduled to be sentenced at 9 a.m.
April 18 in New York.
Former
Postsecondary Chancellor Pleads Guilty, Forfeits $18 Million
A
fifteen-count criminal Information was filed today in U.S. District Court charging
Roy W. Johnson, JR., age 62, of Opelika, Alabama, with conspiracy, bribery,
obstruction of justice, and money laundering while he served as Chancellor of
the State of Alabama's Department of Postsecondary Education.
Possible
Settlement Coming In Strippergate Scandal
Colacurcio
Sr., the owner of Rick's Nightclub on Lake City Way in Seattle, was accused
of funneling thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to three City Council
members in 2003.
Vytorin
Latest Drug Scandal to Raise Questions about FDA Oversight
The
Vytorin controversy has once again raised serious questions about the way the
Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approves new drugs. At issue is the agency’s
policy to allow drug clinical trials to measure only “proxy markers”
and not the true outcome that the medication is supposed to provide.
Siblings
file abuse lawsuit against Catholic order
Three
siblings who say they were molested as children by the same Los Angeles priest
filed new allegations of abuse this week against a worldwide religious order,
which is the only Roman Catholic organization involved in the 6-year-old clergy
scandal that has yet to settle any civil claims.
Mayor
Kilpatrick, chief of staff lied under oath, text messages show
Detroit
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his chief of staff lied about their relationship
last summer at a police whistle-blower trial that has cost the cash-strapped
city more than $9 million, according to records obtained by the Free Press.
Disgraced
ex-gov. of Conn. offered job
Former
Gov. John G. Rowland, who resigned amid an impeachment probe and spent 10 months
in federal prison, plans to take a marketing job for a city with its own history
of political scandal.
Big
Dig Contractors To Pay More Than $450M
Contractors
who worked on the long-troubled Big Dig highway project have agreed to pay more
than $450 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the state over a fatal tunnel
ceiling collapse and to cover the costs of leaks and design flaws.
Businessman
charged in Orleans bribe case
Norco
businessman Burnell Moliere, president of the politically active janitorial
services firm AME Services Inc., was charged in federal court Tuesday morning
with helping former School Board president Ellenese Brooks-Simms gain access
to at least $40,000 in bribes she took while in office.
Study:
False statements preceded war
A
study by two nonprofit journalism organizations found that President Bush and
top administration officials issued hundreds of false statements about the national
security threat from Iraq in the two years following the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Klaudt
Sentenced To Additional 10 Years
Former
State Lamaker Ted Klaudt has been sentenced to another ten years in prison for
witness tampering.
AG
investigating Siena, 14 other programs
Study-abroad
programs at 15 colleges and universities including Siena College are being scrutinized
by the New York attorney general's office to ensure cozy deals between schools
and companies that provide the programs are not cheating students, a top investigator
said Monday.
S.
Butler school board member accused of assaulting woman
A
school board member in Butler County is accused of assaulting a woman at his
Saxonburg bar.
Ex-teacher
to stand trial on charges she had sex with 14-year-old
A
former high school teacher waived her preliminary hearing Tuesday and will stand
trial on charges she had sex with a 14-year-old student and sent him nude photos
of herself.
Rep.
Jefferson Linked To African Diamond Case
U.S.
Representative William Jefferson, facing a federal trial on corruption charges,
has been linked to the prosecution of a former diamond executive in Botswana.
A
former Russell County, Va., preacher is sentenced to 10 years in jail on child
sex charges
Matthew
Smith, a former co-preacher at a Russell County church, will spend 10 years
in a state prison after entering a guilty plea in November to having a sexual
relationship with a 13-year-old girl.
Texas
Mayor In Dog Fracas Could Lose Job
The
allegations could bring down the mayor of this South Texas town: a faked death,
an attempt to hide the evidence from police, a cover-up story.
Surgeon
In Cadaver Scandal May Turn Informant
The
alleged mastermind behind a scheme to plunder bodies and sell their parts for
millions plans to plead guilty next week.
No
Jail Time for Ward Crutchfield In Operation Tennessee Waltz Scandal
Despite
serving in the Tennessee legislature for nearly 30 years, Ward Crutchfield's
name will forever be tied to Operation Tennessee Waltz.
Former
49ers defender Stubblefield admits lying about steroid use
Former
San Francisco 49ers defender Dana Stubblefield pleaded guilty Friday to lying
to federal agents about taking performance-enhancing drugs, becoming American
football's first BALCO steroid scandal culprit.
Former
lawmaker sentenced to 44 years
Former
state Rep. Ted Klaudt was sentenced Thursday to 44 years in prison for raping
two foster daughters by touching their breasts and genitals in phony examinations
he said would help them sell their reproductive eggs.
Founder
of Anti-Gun Group Pleads No Contest to Weapons Charges
A
former gang member who founded an anti-violence group called No Guns has pleaded
no contest to federal weapons charges.
Little
Egg Harbor Twp. fire official sentenced to 3 years for taking title to truck
A
Little Egg Harbor fire commissioner was sentenced to three years in state prison
this morning for official misconduct for the illegal transfer of a commission
truck.
Former
DMV worker sentenced in federal court for identity theft
A
former Department of Motor Vehicles teller was sentenced to thee years in prison
today in federal court in Norfolk for making fake identification cards and vehicle
titles.
Columbia
pastor and husband arrested in drug raid
Officers
tell WIS they found crack cocaine in the house, evidence of manufacturing crack
cocaine, a significant amount of money and ammunition.
Gen.
Tommy Franks Paid $100,000 To Endorse 'F' Veterans Charity
Retired
U.S. Army Gen. Tommy Franks, who led the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq,
was paid $100,000 to endorse a veterans charity that watchdog groups say is
ripping off donors and wounded veterans by using only a small portion of the
money raised for veterans services, according to testimony in Congress today.
Comverse
Sues Founder In Options Backdating Scandal
Alexander
has been living in Namibia where he has successfully been fighting attempts
to extradite him to the U.S. According to the Reuters news agency, the court
filing seeks more than $70 million from Alexander and from William Sorin, the
networking firm's former general counsel.
Congressman
William Jefferson Testifies in Bribery Case
William
Jefferson, a Democrat, is trying to suppress statements he made to investigators
in August 2005 when the FBI took documents from his New Orleans home.
Ex-teacher
pleads guilty to molesting boys
A
former religious education teacher at a Fort Wayne Catholic parish has pleaded
guilty to molesting four boys.
Archbishop
Pleads Guilty to Perjury
Court
officials say the 80-year-old leader of a suburban Atlanta megachurch pleaded
guilty Wednesday to a charge he lied under oath.
Former
Mo. mayor taped begging for mercy
A
small-town mayor and pastor charged with enticing a child over the Internet
was recorded calling the investigating detective at home Wednesday and asking
him to stop the case.
Former
Michigan Congressman charged in conspiracy involving terror fundraising
A
former congressman and delegate to the United Nations was indicted Wednesday
as part of a terrorist fundraising ring that allegedly sent more than $130,000
to an al-Qaida and Taliban supporter who has threatened U.S. and international
troops in Afghanistan.
Ex-Redstone
official pleads guilty to bribery, tax evasion
51-year-old
Michael Cantrell admitted taking $1.6 million in kickbacks from contractors
for U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command projects.
Former
coach sentenced to prison for sex with 13-year-old
A
former Copper Hills High assistant baseball coach will spend up to 15 years
in prison for having sex with a 13-year-old girl.
Missouri
Mayor Charged in Internet Child Sex Sting
A
small-town mayor is in jail in Newton County on four counts of soliciting sex
over the Internet from a police detective posing as a 13-year-old girl.
Former
mayor indicted on sex charges
The
former mayor of Rhodhiss, who resigned from office eight months ago, was indicted
by a Burke County grand jury last week on felony, child sex charges, according
to court documents.
City
investigator fired after theft charge
A
City of Chicago employee accused of shoplifting was fired from her job in a
department that investigates misconduct by city workers, officials said Friday.
Scandal-wary
officials vow: Never again
Never
again will Lackawanna County overpay its workers’ compensation fund administrator
or any contractor the way it did the administrator indicted last week for defrauding
the county of more than $407,000, the new county controller vows.
Two
more regents quit amid university spending scandal
Two
televangelists have resigned as regents of Oklahoma's Oral Roberts University
following a spending scandal involving the school's former president.
Congressman
Doolittle announces retirement amid lobbying scandal
The
California Republican is entangled in a congressional lobbying scandal and has
close ties to disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Probable
Cause Found That Wright Broke Ethics Rules
A
panel of state lawmakers on Wednesday found probable cause that Rep. Thomas
Wright took part in campaign finance and loan fraud in violation of legislative
ethics rules.
Plugs
pulled on FBI wiretaps due to unpaid bills
Telephone
companies have cut off FBI wiretaps used to eavesdrop on suspected criminals
because of the bureau's repeated failures to pay phone bills on time.
A
Justice Department audit released today blamed the lost connections on the FBI's
lax oversight of money used in undercover investigations. Poor supervision of
the program also allowed one agent to steal $25,000, the audit said.
Former
Florida City housing director charged in fraud web
Price,
who was fired from the city last February for other alleged wrongdoings, is
accused of profiting personally when he was the director of the city's department
of housing and economic development by fraudulently acquiring a home mortgage.
Former
village official guilty in fraud scheme
A
former Bolingbrook Public Works Department official has pleaded guilty to his
role in an alleged $400,000 fraud scheme involving cash, gifts and services
received in return for approval of false and inflated invoices.
Landrieu
accused of taking bribe
Citizens
for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint with federal
prosecutors accusing the Louisiana Democrat of violating bribery law by sponsoring
a $2 million earmark for Voyager Expanded Learning just four days after the
education firm helped give her $30,000 in campaign contributions.
FCC
to probe Comcast data discrimination
The
Federal Communications Commission will investigate complaints that Comcast Corp.
actively interferes with Internet traffic as its subscribers try to share files
online, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said Tuesday.
City
school employees, contractors accused of wrongdoing in report
A
29-year-old Queens social studies teacher was caught hiding under a bed with
his shirt undone in the house where his female student was baby-sitting.
A
Brooklyn Spanish teacher had his school laptop stolen by his crack dealer. And
a Manhattan physical therapist was accused of trying to bribe her way to a better
job when she sent $90 to a supervisor in a Christmas card.
Police:
Teacher sent nude photos to boy
A
high school gym teacher was charged with sending nude pictures of herself and
sexually suggestive cell phone text messages to a 14-year-old freshman at the
school.
Ex-missionary
sentenced
A
former missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was sentenced
Thursday to two to six years in prison after a judge ruled he violated terms
of a plea deal that called for him to complete counseling and community service.
Former
Gate City official sentenced on money laundering conviction
Former
Gate City public works director Randall Hurt was sentenced Monday to 27 months
in prison on a money-laundering conviction.
Bryant
leaves with regard - and tarnish
Once
one of the most powerful lawmakers in New Jersey, State Sen. Wayne Bryant will
leave office this week, ending a storied political career marred in its twilight
by a corruption scandal.
Fire
Chief Under Fire Over E-Mailed Photos Of Topless Crash Victim
Umatilla
Fire Chief Richard took photos of a 26-year-old woman being treated by emergency
workers after she crashed her sport utility vehicle into a tree.
School
secretary in sexy email scandal resigns
An
investigation revealed that Principal Ron Miller sent sexually explicit emails
from a school district computer during school hours, and the correspondence
included naked pictures.
Teen
sex scandal: Teacher pleads guilty
A
former teacher accused of arranging to have sex with a 13-year-old girl changes
his plea just days before going to trial.
Spears
Taken in Ambulance After Standoff
Britney
Spears offered paparazzi yet another field day as she was taken from her home
in an ambulance after a custodial standoff involving her children that lasted
nearly three hours.
Mega
Church Changes Name, Image?
Investigation
revealed founder of the Family Praise Center, Rick Hawkins, caught up in a sex
scandal. He's accused of having extramarital affairs, and using church funds
to silence his victims.
Ex-animal
control officer admits she falsified records
A
former Asbury Park animal control officer pleaded guilty Thursday to charges
she tampered with public records and failed to properly care for an injured
cat she was expected to help.
Utah
BLM Official Accused Of Child Sex Abuse
Rex
Lee Smart, 60, has been accused of engaging in the sex acts with a girl he was
trusted to care for. According to court papers, the first incidents allegedly
happened between May and June of 2005 when the girl was just 9-years-old.
East
Point official charged but still gets paid
Councilman
Greg Fann, 57, is charged with theft by deception by a government employee,
false statements and obstruction of a law enforcement officer for allegedly
using city crews and material to do personal work in 2003 and then lying about
it.
Beauty
Queen-Law Clerk Charged With Kidnap-Torture
A
beauty pageant winner and law school student clerking for a federal judge faces
charges that she kidnapped and tortured an ex-boyfriend.
Court
administrator on leave for DWI and trying to bribe officer arrest
The
Sherburne County court administrator was put on paid administrative leave on
Friday after being charged with driving while intoxicated and trying to bribe
the arresting officer.
GOP
RIPS PROBE-BOSS VACATION AND PAY RAISE
Top
Senate Republicans yesterday blasted the head of the state Public Integrity
Commission for going on a 2 1/2-week vacation in the middle of the Dirty Tricks
Scandal.
They
also questioned why he was given a hasty $15,000 pay raise.
Suspended
Putnam volunteer firefighter faces sex charge
A
suspended North Highlands volunteer firefighter, charged earlier this year with
stealing gas from the department, faces new charges after a Putnam deputy caught
him engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl inside a parked car,
police said today.
NASA
Gives Glimpse of Air Safety Survey
NASA
begrudgingly released some results Monday from an $11.3 million federal air
safety study it previously withheld from the public over concerns it would upset
travelers and hurt airline profits. It published the findings in a format that
made it cumbersome for any thorough analysis by outsiders.
Ex-pastor
sent to prison after claiming abuse victim harassed him
A
retired pastor from Canada was sentenced to three years in prison today after
telling a McHenry County judge he was sexually harassed by the 4-year-old Lake
in the Hills girl he pleaded guilty to molesting.
Feds
Say Contractor In Rowland Scandal 'Incorrigible'
A
contractor who gave former Gov. John Rowland expensive cigars and champagne
should receive the maximum five-year sentence for hiding assets such as rare
books and wine from a bankruptcy court, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
Feds
confiscate more accounts
The
federal government has seized foreign bank accounts controlled by a family member
of the alleged mastermind of the D.C. tax office scandal, according to warrants
filed Thursday.
Suspended
tax collector denies role in tag scandal
Suspended
Washington County Tax Collector Patricia Lee said she is innocent of charges
that she and eight current and former deputies filed fraudulent paperwork to
give residents car tag discounts.
Disgraced
Cianci aide asks for pension back
A
former mayoral aide who was filmed by the FBI taking a cash bribe asks for his
pension from the city of Providence.
Frank
Corrente worked for former Providence Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci.
He and Cianci were sent to prison after an FBI probe into widespread corruption
at Providence City Hall.
McAfee
coughs up to settle backdating lawsuits
On
Friday, the security vendor filed 10 years' worth of restated financial reports,
a process that was set off by the scandal. The company also said it had reached
a tentative settlement in a class-action lawsuit relating to its accounting
practices.
Diocese
makes cuts, asks for donations to pay for sexual abuse settlement
On
Feb. 27, 2007, the eve of the first trial in San Diego of a sexual abuse lawsuit,
the diocese filed for bankruptcy. The move started months of legal wrangling
in U.S. bankruptcy court over diocesan assets, accounting, how best to determine
what amounts victims should receive and accusations that the diocese was trying
to dodge a multimillion-dollar settlement.
The
diocese began a campaign, known as "Embracing Our Mission," in October
asking for contributions from everyone in the diocese to raise $25 million to
put toward the settlement.
Priest
Accused In Sex, Drugs, Money Scandal Gets Out Of Jail
The
Rev. Charles Newman was released Christmas Day from prison on $50,000 bail.
CELEB
SEX TAPE SCANDALS
GOV
STONEWALLS E-MAIL HUNTERS
Gov.
Spitzer is endangering the recovery of potentially crucial e-mail evidence relating
to the Dirty Tricks Scandal by refusing to give investigators the names of Internet
service providers used by himself and his aides, sources have told The Post
Ex-'Lost'
star reports for jail sentence
Former
"Lost" star Michelle Rodriguez will be spending the holidays in jail.
Alief
ISD board could ask indicted trustee to resign
Members
of the Alief Independent School Board plan to meet Thursday to discuss an indictment
against one of their trustees, Edgar Dansby III, and likely ask him to resign,
the board's president said Sunday.
Former
Teacher Faces Prison, Fines For Sexual Contact
Thirty-one-year-old
George Krenz pleaded guilty to one count of felony sexual contact with a person
under the age of 16 and eight counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor.
Body
armor CEO seeks release from jail
The
former head of the leading supplier of body armor to the U.S. military, facing
federal charges in an alleged fraud scheme, may be freed after two months in
jail but only under house arrest, a judge has ruled.
Study:
Airport Screening Process Pointless
Airport
security lines can annoy passengers, but there is no evidence that they make
flying any safer, U.S. researchers reported Thursday.
Addicted
Doctors Are Allowed to Practice
Troubling
cases in which doctors were accused of botching operations while undergoing
treatment for drugs or alcohol have led to criticism of rehab programs that
allow thousands of U.S. physicians to keep their addictions hidden from their
patients.
Newspaper:
Gonzales in on tape destruction talks
Alberto
Gonzales and other top White House lawyers took part in discussions about destroying
CIA videotapes of interrogation of two al Qaeda suspects...
In
June 2005, judge ordered the Bush administration to safeguard "all evidence
and information regarding the torture, mistreatment, and abuse of detainees
now at the United States Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay."
Five
months later, the CIA destroyed the interrogation videos.
Police:
Firefighter Beat Woman In Road Rage Incident
The
Wayne Township Fire Department has suspended firefighter Kasey Kadinger with
pay pending the department's investigation into the allegations ...
Political
hiring still thrives in Chicago, monitor says
Political
hiring is still thriving at City Hall despite high-profile efforts to stamp
out patronage, according to an annual report from a federal monitor.
Fire
Chief Arrested On Suspicion Of Drunken Driving
The
Rincon Band fire chief has been arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken
driving and child cruelty.
Senator
seeks investigation into highway-bill earmark
An
Oklahoma senator who's long been critical of pork-barrel spending in Congress
asked Tuesday for an investigation into money that was earmarked for a study
of a highway interchange abutting environmentally sensitive land in Florida.
Pastor
will plead guilty to raping another young girl
The
former pastor of a Hartford church who is currently awaiting sentencing for
the sexual assault of an 11-year old girl will plead guilty to new charges that
he sexually assaulted a 13-year old girl.
Flying
above IRS' radar?
On
Memorial Day, Gov. Rod Blagojevich huddled with legislative leaders in his Capitol
office in what turned out to be another futile attempt to negotiate a state
budget deal.
Former
Elizabeth Teacher Sentenced For Sex With Football Player
A
former Elizabeth High School teacher who admitted having sex with a high school
football player while her own children slept nearby is spending 90 days in jail
and then must serve 10 years to life of supervised sex-offender probation.
Workers
compensation agency to use own judges in benefit appeals
North
Dakota's workers compensation agency has begun hiring its own hearing officers
to referee benefit disputes, a move critics say could tilt decisions against
employees who are injured on the job.
Indian
Hill Teacher Indicted On Theft Charges
A
Hamilton County grand jury has indicted a middle school art teacher on charges
of stealing thousands of dollars meant for school field trips.
Ousted
dean leaving Kennesaw State amid theft allegations
Ousted
dean Yiping Wan, who returned to Kennesaw State University as a professor after
he was charged with stealing thousands from the school, is resigning at the
end of the year.
Exelon
fires Wackenhut as nuclear plant security after incidents
Exelon
Corp. said Friday it will replace Wackenhut Corp. with an in-house security
force at its 10 nuclear power plants following the discovery earlier this year
that guards at a Pennsylvania plant were sleeping on the job.
Videotape
shows Sharpton cutting a deal
Sharpton
offered to help Philadelphia fund-raiser Ronald A. White win a multimillion-dollar
business deal, if White helped him raise $50,000 for politics.
Former
fire department treasurer sentenced for embezzling $160,000
A
judge gives a suspended sentence to a former Monroe fire department treasurer
who admits she embezzled $160,000 to pay her credit cards and utility bills.
Fake
tickets land parking company in hot water
A
private parking company that left official-looking but fake citations on cars
parked in free lots in the Bay Area will have to reimburse people who paid those
tickets, the Marin County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.
Blue
Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island to pay $20M in corruption
Blue
Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has agreed to pay 20 million dollars
as part of a deal that will allow the company to avoid federal criminal charges
in a political corruption probe.
Mitchell
Report Names Baseball Steroid Users
Roger
Clemens, Miguel Tejada and Andy Pettitte were named in the long-awaited Mitchell
Report on Thursday, an All-Star roster linked to steroids and other performance-enhancing
drugs that put a question mark - if not an asterisk - next to some of baseball's
biggest moments.
Brookfield
Pastor Charged With Crack Cocaine Possession
Police
said a St. Francis motorist called for help last Saturday evening after seeing
Father Leonard Van Vlaenderen's car drive up and along the sidewalk before coming
to a stop. Van Vlaenderen was found unconscious, and inside his pocket, police
said they found two rocks of crack cocaine.
Deputy
fire chief admits he chose to conceal drug test
Deputy
Chief David Starling, interviewed by the Ledger-Enquirer, said he made the decision
to keep the fact that Zachary Allen failed a drug test after last year's wreck
off an internal investigative report. Allen is the son of Columbus Councilor
Gary Allen and grandson of former Mayor J.R. Allen.
CIA
Destroyed Tapes Despite Court Orders
The
Bush administration was under court order not to discard evidence of detainee
torture and abuse months before the CIA destroyed videotapes that revealed some
of its harshest interrogation tactics.
Police
Arrest Church Deacon for Sexual Offenses
Investigators charged 71-year-old Dan Paul Stallings of Silver Spring, with
ten counts of incest.
Broker
charged with defrauding school districts of $10.5 million
A
Chester County investment broker is being charged with multiple counts of fraud
in a case that prosecutors say left four Pennsylvania school districts with
losses totaling more than $10 million.
Daycare
provider who put child in trunk now runs preschool
In
November, Lynda Clark, the owner of Grandma Lynda's Daycare, admitted to putting
four-year-old Nicolas Wickstrom in the trunk and driving for nearly half a mile.
More
guilty pleas expected in wake of former PSJA schools superintedent Arturo Guajardo's
Former
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo schools Superintendent Arturo Guajardo pleaded guilty last
week to one count of extorting bribes in exchange for his influence on contracts
for district work.
CVS
fined for child labor, overtime violations
CVS
Caremark Corp. has been fined more than $226,000 after a U.S. Department of
Labor investigation found dozens of stores changed employee timecards and violated
child labor laws.
N.C.
House member Wright indicted
State
Rep. Thomas Wright, a Democrat and top lieutenant of former N.C. House Speaker
Jim Black, was indicted Monday on five charges of obtaining property by false
pretenses and one charge of obstruction of justice, said District Attorney Colon
Willoughby of Wake County.
Vick
Sentenced to 23 Months in Prison
Michael
Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison Monday for running a "cruel and
inhumane" dogfighting ring and lying about it.
Media
Mogul Black Gets 6 1/2 Years
Former
newspaper mogul Conrad Black was sentenced Monday to 6 1/2 years in prison,
far less than sought by prosecutors, for swindling shareholders in his Hollinger
media empire out of $6 million.
Senators
Slam CIA Tape Destruction
Members
of the Senate Intelligence Committee slammed both the destruction of videotapes
depicting CIA interrogations of al Qaeda operatives and the aggressive interrogation
techniques suspected to be used in those interrogations.
Hockey
coach charged after having sex with 16-year-old player
Authorities
say 35-year-old Nathan Paul Antrim had been a part-time girls hockey coach at
Robbinsdale-Cooper High School in the Twin Cities suburb since October 2006.
NYC
Mailman Accused Of Filching Cards
He
was found with more than 130 pieces of other people's mail in his car, according
to a court complaint.
Warrant
Issued for Arrest of Actor Daniel Baldwin
A
judge issued an arrest warrant for Daniel Baldwin on Friday when the actor didn't
show up to court to give a progress report on his drug rehabilitation.
Kiefer
Sutherland To Spend 48 Days In Jail
The
star of the Fox TV drama "24" will have a new number to become acquainted
with: 48.
Alaska:
Ex-Lawmaker Sentenced
Former
Speaker Pete Kott, left, of the Alaska House was sentenced to six years in a
federal prison for accepting $9,000 in bribes from the founder of an oil field
services company.
Ex-La.
insurance chief Wooley pleads 5th in Citizens probe
Former
Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley refused to testify before a legislative
committee Wednesday, invoking his 5th Amendment rights in the ongoing fraud
investigation of the state's taxpayer-backed property insurance company.
Gibbons
Suspended For Violating Drug Policy
Kansas
City's Jose Guillen and Baltimore's Jay Gibbons were suspended Thursday for
the first 15 days of next season by Major League Baseball for violating the
sport's drug program.
Iraqi
officers go missing in U.S.
Numerous
Iraqi military and law-enforcement officials brought to the U.S. as part of
special intelligence and training programs have run away and are seeking asylum
in this country or disappeared altogether...
Sea
Scout leader who challenged Berkeley is accused of molestations
A
longtime Sea Scouts leader arrested on suspicion of child molestation was the
lead plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging Berkeley's decision to end the group's
rent-free berthing because of the Boy Scout bans on gays and atheists.
Former
RISD Employee Sentenced to More Than 2 Years for Fraud
A
former employee of one of the nation's top art schools was sentenced to more
than two years in prison Tuesday for stealing nearly $1 million in funds that
were supposed to be used for fire safety equipment.
Church
leader charged again in child-sex case
Raymond
Lambert, 52, was charged Monday with four counts of second-degree child molestation,
three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and one count of sexual abuse,
according to court records.
Jeb
Bush appointment fuels allegations of favor
While
Bush was governor, his office approved tax refunds to CNL Holdings, which is
affiliated with CNL Bancshares Inc., the St. Petersburg Times reported Wednesday.
The bank appointed Bush to its board last month.
Fire
Department Suspends Paramedic In Noose Case
The
Baltimore Fire Department has suspended a paramedic apprentice who admitted
placing a threatening note and a rope shaped like a noose inside a firehouse.
Political
Sex Scandals
New
sexual abuse charges for former Central Falls Councilman
A
former Central Falls councilman has been charged with three more counts of third-degree
sexual assault on a 15-year-old boy.
National
Debt Grows At Nearly $1M A Minute
It
means almost $30,000 in debt for each man, woman, child and infant in the United
States.
Newspaper:
8 men say they've had sexual encounters with Larry Craig
Eight
men say they either had sex with Sen. Larry Craig or were targets of sexual
advances by the Idaho lawmaker at various times during his political career,
a newspaper reported Sunday.
Top
Republicans question Lottery bonuses
Georgia
Lottery President Margaret DeFrancisco and her employees collected nearly $3
million in bonuses this year, a sum that has mystified Georgia legislators who
three years ago tightened requirements for the lottery-funded HOPE scholarship
to keep it financially solvent.
Long
List Of Losses Only Starts At Laptops
A
state employee made headlines over the summer when a computer containing 106,000
taxpayer Social Security numbers was stolen from his car during a weekend trip
to Long Island.
But
when a .45-caliber pistol vanished from the heavily guarded State Armory two
months earlier, the incident got no public scrutiny. Neither did the theft of
a laptop right from a judge's chambers, or the $1,800 missing from the cash
register at the Department of Environmental Protection's bookstore.
Former
American Savings Bank Assistant Manager Indicted on 10 Counts of Theft, Embezzlement
and Fraud
Hawaii’s
U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo today announced the indictment of Marilyn DeMotta, 41,
a former operations manager at American Savings Bank accused by a bank security
manager in 2004 of stealing more than $1 million from 91-year-old bank customer
Ada Lim.
Insurer
settles executive pay case with state
The
state's largest medical malpractice insurer has agreed to pay a $75,000 penalty
to settle allegations that part of its executive compensation plan violated
state law.
Several
New Orleans Firefighters Indicted On Drug & Firearms Charges
In
all-- six men face multiple counts of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine
and heroin and firearm-related offenses. Four of them are New Orleans firefighters.
Giuliani's
Mistress Used N.Y. Police as Taxi Service
Well
before it was publicly known he was seeing her, then-married New York Mayor
Rudy Giuliani provided a police driver and city car for his mistress Judith
Nathan, former senior city officials tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com.
Government
Lists Worst Nursing Homes
Fifty-four
nursing homes are being told by the government that they're among the worst
in their states in an effort to goad them into improving patient care.
State
raids company with ties to mayor
State
prosecutors arrived yesterday morning at the East Biddle Street headquarters
of Doracon Contracting Inc., whose president, Ronald H. Lipscomb, has ties to
Mayor Sheila Dixon, and seized several boxes of records from the building, an
attorney for the company said.
Mpls.
lawmaker fires treasurer over funds
Davnie
called Minneapolis police and filed a police report on Wednesday, to report
that his treasurer stole $12,000 from his campaign committee account.
Clerk
Busted For Pot Delivery At Work
An
apparent personal delivery at work led to an arrest and a court date for a clerk
at the Cook County public defender's office.
‘Dog’
a wanted man for missed court date
A
$150 bench warrant was ordered this week for bounty hunter Duane "Dog"
Chapman after he failed to appear in District Court to address a traffic offense.
Red
Cross Chief Ousted Over Relationship
In
a statement, the Red Cross said it has asked for and received Mark Everson's
resignation Tuesday after learning that he had engaged in a "personal relationship"
with a subordinate employee.
Former
Salvation Army official gets 30 years behind bars
Timothy
Janusz stole more than $300,000 from four elderly donors and the charitable
organization.
Health
Net paid bonuses in part based on how many policyholders were dropped, lawsuit
shows
The
documents revealed that Health Net Inc., one of the nation's largest publicly
held managed health care corporations, set goals and paid bonuses in California
that were partly based on how many policyholders were dropped and how much money
was saved, the Los Angeles Times reported this month.
Former
child-care worker accused of taping toddlers to wall
Erie
Police say 25-year-old Keith Holbrook is charged with two counts each of simple
assault and endangering the welfare of children.
Judge
Spares Louisiana Sen. Vitter Embarrassing Testimony In Prostitution Case
A
federal judge spared Sen. David Vitter an embarrassing appearance on the witness
stand in a prostitution case when she abruptly canceled a hearing scheduled
for next week.
Just
1% of Seattle Marathon money goes to charity
Last
year that amounted to only $12,000 — 1 percent of revenue — at an
event that now pulls in more than $1 million annually.
Teacher
admits molesting little boys
Thirty-three-year-old
Christopher Culver changed his plea to guilty Monday morning just as jury selection
was beginning at his trial in Saratoga County Court.
Filner
Enters Alford Plea in Airport Incident
Rep.
Bob Filner, (D) Calif., has entered a plea days before he was set for trial
on assault and battery charges over allegations he pushed a United Airlines
baggage employee at Dulles International Airport.
Probe
of Fake FEMA News Conference Finds Similar Incident
The
fake October news conference held by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
was not the first time a Homeland Security public affairs official has acted
like a reporter by asking questions during a briefing.
Faith
tested at Oral Roberts University
Roberts'
son, Richard Roberts, resigned Friday as president of the school, facing accusations
that he misspent school funds to support a lavish lifestyle and ordered an accountant
to help hide improper and illegal financial wrongdoing.
State
grant program not fully accountable
A
State newspaper review of final expense reports for nearly $23 million awarded
shows the state doesn’t know how more than one-fifth of the money was
spent because grant recipients didn’t file a final report as the state
requires. In other cases, money awarded to grant winners was not spent as originally
intended.
City
councilor accused of sex assault resigns
A
Central Falls city councilor accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy
has resigned.
Mayor
won't resign despite pleading guilty to indecency
Mayor
Lino Donato entered the pleas October 31 to three counts of indecency, cutting
short a trial on accusations that he exposed himself to two girls between 1996
and 2000 and improperly touched one of them.
Louisiana
Rep. Jefferson Accused Anew
Prosecutors
are accusing Rep. William J. Jefferson of Louisiana of soliciting bribes in
two suspected schemes that are separate from the bribery charges he already
faces, according to a published report.
Recent
La. corruption cases at a glance
Defendants
and details of recent high-profile corruption cases in the New Orleans area
Former
Montrose school employee will see jail time
Authorities
say greed is what motivated former payroll supervisor Dana Bacon to steal more
than $1 million from the district.
Contractor
Accused Of Bribing Military For Business
A
federal grand jury has accused a civilian contractor from Georgia of trying
to bribe an Army official in Kuwait to win tens of millions of dollars in business
with the military.
Former
school bookkeeper sentenced for stealing $31K from elementary school
A
former school bookkeeper just got a very public education with no honors. On
Monday, Denise Lamont was given five years probation for stealing more than
$31,000 from Lincoln Elementary School.
Former
judge sentenced to 6 months in jail
Douglas
Combs must also pay a $3,000 fine. The former Perry County circuit court judge
pleaded guilty to the charges in June.
City,
State Will Pay Most Of Judgement Against Prosecutor Office
The
judgment was awarded to 36 employees, 35 white and one Hispanic, who were fired
and replaced by black employees shortly after Eddie Jordan took over as the
city's first black district attorney in 2003.
Oliver
Thomas' Sentencing Scheduled this Week
Less
than four months after he shocked New Orleanians by pleading guilty to accepting
bribes while in office, former City Councilman Oliver Thomas is scheduled to
be sentenced this week.
Jesuits
confirm settlement in sex abuse cases
A
$50 million settlement with 110 Alaska claimants was confirmed by the Oregon
Province of the Society of Jesus today.
Mike
Tyson sentenced in Scottsdale drug case
Former
heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was sentenced Monday to 24 hours in jail and
three years' probation for drug possession and driving under the influence.
Sex
Scandal Hits Atlanta-Area Megachurch
The
80-year-old leader of a suburban Atlanta megachurch is at the center of a sex
scandal of biblical dimensions: He slept with his brother's wife and fathered
a child by her.
Pastor
of Haitian church faces rape charges
Yves
Jerome, pastor at Igles de Jes de Besta Haitian Church, is accused of forcing
a 14-year-old to have sex with him. The attacks allegedly occurred in February
while the 49-year-old Jerome was baby-sitting, according to recently unsealed
court records.
Puerto
Rico in shock over fake doctors
In
August, a federal grand jury indicted 88 men and women after an investigation
into members of Puerto Rico's Medical Examiners Board who allegedly altered
failing test scores to certify unqualified doctors. Almost three months later,
federal agents carried out another round of raids across the U.S. territory,
arresting dozens more as part of the scandal.
Miami
child abuse cases mishandled, state finds
A
state report into the children's cases obtained by The Miami Herald concludes
there was a ''widespread'' practice among Miami child-abuse caseworkers of closing
investigations prematurely, sometimes without even visiting suspected victims
of abuse or neglect.
Miss.
mayor indicted in apartment razing
Jackson,
Miss., Mayor Frank Melton and two city police officers were indicted today for
their alleged roles in the wrecking of an apartment duplex. They stand accused
of malicious mischief, house burglary, conspiracy and directing a minor to commit
malicious mischief.
Sen.
Jerry Cooper Fined $120,000 By Registry Of Election Finance
The
complaint, based on documents uncovered in an unrelated bank fraud trial held
in Chattanooga, alleged that Cooper funneled $95,004 from his campaign account
into his personal account using 24 checks written from December 1999 to November
2001.
Bonds
Indicted By Federal Grand Jury
A
federal grand jury has indicted Barry Bonds on perjury and obstruction of justice
charges.
E-E
school board member arrested again
Edcouch-Elsa
schools officials are expected to ask trustee Manuel “Manny” Hernandez
Jr. to step down after his second arrest in less than three weeks.
UCO
official arrested on shoplifting complaint
The
director of alumni relations at the University of Central Oklahoma has been
arrested in Oklahoma City for shoplifting.
ORU
PREZ GETS 'NO CONFIDENCE' VOTE FROM FACULTY
Embattled
Oral Roberts University president Richard Roberts, facing accusations he misspent
university funds to support a lavish lifestyle, has received a vote of "no
confidence" by the tenured faculty at the evangelical university.
State
Senator Wants Extortion Charges Dropped
State
Sen. Matt McCoy wants a judge to drop the federal extortion charges against
him.
Former
Montauk Fire Official Admits Stealing $539,000
The
former secretary-treasurer of the Montauk Fire Department pleaded guilty Tuesday
to stealing $539,000 over a seven-year period, writing personal checks to herself
and others to finance gambling sprees, credit card bills and her son's private
school education.
Leesburg
Investigates Two Firefighters For Violating City Policy
Officials
in Leesburg are investigating allegations that two firefighters were running
a business on city time.
Judge
orders White House to hold e-mails
U.S.
District Judge Henry Kennedy directed the Executive Office of the President
to safeguard the material in response to two lawsuits that seek to determine
whether the White House has destroyed e-mails in violation of federal law.
Nun
pleads guilty to sex with students in 1960s
A
79-year-old Roman Catholic nun has pleaded no contest to indecent behavior with
two male students during the 1960s at a Milwaukee convent and school where she
was principal.
Duke
Lacrosse DNA Tester Removed From Post
The
move comes less than a month after the former defendants filed a federal civil
rights lawsuit against Dr. Brian Meehan, former District Attorney Mike Nifong
and several others involved in the investigation.
'Robin
Hood' Banker Jailed for Fraud
A
former bank executive who was said to have "Robin Hood" mentality
has been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for taking money from some
accounts and repaying others, as well as pocketing some of the money for himself.
Jury
finds Fla. Rep. Bob Allen guilty in gay bathroom sex case
A
three-man, three-woman jury deliberated nearly 3 1/2 hours Friday before finding
state Rep. Bob Allen, R-Merritt Island, guilty of soliciting prostitution, a
misdemeanor. Allen was accused of peering over a stall at a young, black undercover
police officer, then agreeing to pay $20 to perform oral sex on him.
Cities
Eliminate Right to Contest Parking Tickets
In
an attempt to stem the loss of revenue from motorists contesting parking tickets,
cities are effectively eliminating the traditional due process rights of motorists
to defend themselves at an impartial hearing. By the end of next year, Washington,
DC's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will not allow anyone who believes he
unfairly received a citation to have his day in an administrative hearing.
Former
Illinois Humane Officer Accused of Killing Kitten
Prosecutors
in the Metro East area of St. Louis say a former animal-control officer killed
a kitten that wandered into a bar by slamming it against a door frame and throwing
it to the floor.
Mickey
Rourke Arrested in Fla. on DUI
A
scooter-riding Mickey Rourke was arrested Thursday on suspicion of driving under
the influence.
Oral
Roberts' Son Accused Of Misspending
A
Beverly Hills house and country club membership. Vacations in Palm Springs and
the South Seas. A closet as big as an apartment, stuffed with hundreds of pairs
of shoes, suits, dresses and golf shoes.
People
with close ties to TV evangelist Oral Roberts and his son, Richard, say they
witnessed such extravagances years before a recent lawsuit accusing them of
lavish spending engulfed the ministers and their debt-ridden university in scandal.
Jury:
Klaudt guilty on all four counts
The
jury has found former state Rep.Ted Klaudt guilty on all four counts of second-degree
rape.
Calcasieu
Teacher Charged
Deputies
arrested 46-year-old Willard P. Oliver, a Sam Houston High School teacher, outside
his Moss Bluff apartment following an argument with a 16-year-old girl.
Fixed
Ticket Sparks Political Brouhaha in Fayetteville
A
minor traffic accident has turned into a major political mess for Mayor Tony
Chavonne and City Manage Dale Iman.
Thousands
mistakenly allowed past U.S. border, source says
Government
watchdogs have found that thousands of people who shouldn't have been admitted
to the United States were mistakenly allowed in last year because of security
lapses at legal border crossings.
Day
Care Closed, Accused Of Ripping Off 'Wisconsin Works' Program
The
license of a northside day care center has been revoked, and the center closed,
after officials executed a search warrant over the weekend looking for paperwork
to prove the business had bilked the state out of nearly $1 million.
CEO
walks with $100 million
Charles
Prince is walking out Citigroup's doors with potentially $100 million in his
pocket, leaving behind a bank that many believe needs serious therapy.
Judge:
Regulators Illegally Allowing New Hospitals
A
Polk County judge said that Iowa regulators have been illegally allowing new
hospital projects without proving they are needed.
Defense
Contractor Convicted of Bribery
A
defense contractor was convicted Monday of bribing former Rep. Randy "Duke"
Cunningham with cash, meals, trips and other gifts in exchange for nearly $90
million in Pentagon work.
Who's
the red-light violator?
Dozens
of cities across California still pay red-light camera vendors based on the
revenue their tickets generate, even though such contracts have been outlawed
by the Legislature and ruled illegal in Orange County court.
Teller
Admits to Embezzling $7 Million From Credit Union
The
former head teller of a New Albany credit union is pleading guilty to charges
that she embezzled about $7 million.
Fire
commisioners admit stealing FD trucks
Two
fire commissioners from Little Egg Harbor Township are facing prison time for
stealing vehicles owned by the fire department by signing the titles over to
each other.
Ex-turnpike
chairman charged by ethics panel
The
state Ethics Commission today charged former Massachusetts Turnpike Authority
chairman Matthew J. Amorello with violating the law when he approved a change
to the authority's sick-time policy that made him eligible to collect an additional
$75,000 in cash and insurance payments.
City
tries to block link to police Web site
A
Sheboygan woman who runs a Web site often critical of Mayor Juan Perez has been
ordered by the city to remove a Sheboygan Police Department link on her unrelated
business site, a demand a legal expert says the city has no right to make.
Convicted
drug dealer offered FBI information on two officials
Pamela
Justice, who once served as a campaign manager to Attorney General Greg Stumbo,
told the FBI that Stumbo and former Floyd County Judge-Executive Paul Hunt Thompson
paid people with campaign funds for work not done, according to a transcript
filed in federal court in Justice's drug case.
Fugitive
Teacher, 13-Year-Old Caught In Mexico
A
female schoolteacher was arrested in Mexico and the 13-year-old boy she allegedly
ran away with was turned over to his relatives, a prosecutor said Saturday.
Accused
Firefighter To Be Fired
A
Jackson firefighter accused with the theft and transfer of more than 40 lawn
mowers will be fired.
Senators:
U.S. Gouges Travelers Over $97 Passport Fees
A
congressional investigation indicates that U.S. citizens may have been overcharged
for their passports.
Assistant
Principal Arrested in Pot Bust
Many
people in the Fairfax Station section of Fairfax County are shocked after a
long-time county schools employee was arrested this week on charges he ran a
marijuana growing operation out of his home.
Sex-Sting
Arrest at Ohio Statehouse
A
former children's services lawyer was arrested in an Internet child-sex sting
Wednesday in the basement of the Ohio Statehouse, minutes after the investigator
who lured him there testified two floors above in favor of a bill that would
increase penalties for such crimes.
Police
Say Principal Dressed Like Woman
Police
have cited a Bardstown high school principal with loitering for the purpose
of prostitution.
Court
Says Fundamentalists Owe Man $2.9M
A
grieving father won a $2.9 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist
Kansas church that pickets military funerals out of a belief that the war in
Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.
Former
Atlantic City mayor pleads guilty
The
former mayor of Atlantic City pleaded guilty Thursday to lying to enhance his
veterans benefits, a crime that played a role in his bizarre three-week disappearance
earlier this fall.
State
Supreme Court To Take Up Lawsuit Against Two Dioceses
The
state Supreme Court will take up the case of five men who tried to sue two Roman
Catholic dioceses in Wisconsin, alleging they covered up a teacher's history
of abusing children before he sexually abused them as youngsters in Kentucky.
Ex-CFO
gets 10 years for stealing $3 million
The
former chief financial officer of a Japanese company has been ordered to spend
10 years in prison after she admitted she took $3 million from the firm to buy
jewelry, shoes and clothes.
Celebrity
Sex Tapes
Former
Eugene Teacher Sentenced To Prison In Sex Abuse Case
A
Eugene high school teacher convicted of sexually abusing two students was sentenced
to two years in prison on Monday.
Candidate
Ordered To Repay Misused Funds To Son
A
City Council candidate is back under the microscope after he was accused of
misusing some of his teenage son’s inheritance money.
Judge
Freezes Councilwoman Carlisle's Salary
Pittsburgh
City Councilwoman Twanda Carlisle went before a judge on Monday for allegedly
receiving more than $43,000 in kickbacks from friends she hired for consulting
work.
New
York firefighter duo busted as fire starters
Two
of New York's Bravest acted more like the dumbest when they allegedly tried
to torch a Manhattan firehouse in plain view of a surveillance camera, authorities
said.
Parents
say they complained about White weeks before arrest
The
parents of two children concerned about a game that teacher Jon White was playing
with their children had told Urbana school district officials their concerns
several weeks before a criminal investigation into his conduct began.
Little
League coach sentenced for molesting 13-year-old girl
A
Gary Little League coach has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for having
sex with a 13-year-old girl on his team.
Former
court clerk in fix over tickets
A
former court clerk is in a fix. She's charged with fixing 73 of her own parking
tickets to avoid paying $5,112 in fines and late fees.
Mayor
Suspected Of Possessing Child Porn
The
mayor of the St. Louis suburb of St. George, already accused of possessing marijuana,
is now facing an even more serious accusation: suspicion of possessing child
pornography.
St.
George mayor, arrested on drug charge, resigns
Mayor
Harold Goodman, elected last year, was arrested Monday night by St. Louis County
authorities, Alderman Carmen Wilkerson said.
FEMA's
Faux News Conference
One
way to get decent coverage in this rough-and-tumble city is to arrange to have
your own employees interrogate you at your news conference.
Terror
watch list swells to more than 755,000
The
government's terrorist watch list has swelled to more than 755,000 names, according
to a new government report that has raised worries about the list's effectiveness.
Court
Testimony: State Senator Aided Fraud
State
Sen. Derrick Shepherd helped a felon launder nearly $141,000 in bogus construction
bond fees last year, keeping nearly half the money, an FBI agent said.
Kid
Rock Arrested After Brawl at Waffle House
Kid
Rock was arrested early Sunday after a brawl at a restaurant and spent about
12 hours in jail before being released, police said.
Gov't
May Waste $100M On Unused Anthrax Vaccine
The
government stands to waste $100 million a year if two federal agencies cannot
agree to coordinate the use of a vaccine for the deadly anthrax virus.
Sedgwick
County Fire Captain charged with molesting child
A
Sedgwick County firefighter, with a respected career in the department, is now
in serious legal trouble after allegations he sexually assaulted a child.
Navy
probe finds submarine crew ignored safety procedures for nuclear reactor
The
Navy says it has punished six sailors after a preliminary investigation showed
they ignored safety procedures for their ship's nuclear reactor.
Waxman
accuses Blackwater of tax evasion
The
Democratic chairman of a House watchdog committee said Monday that Blackwater
USA violated tax laws and may have defrauded the government of millions of dollars,
a charge the embattled security firm said is groundless.
Sexual
Abuse Allegations Against Providence Diocese
A
national research organization says it has shocking new allegations against
the Providence Diocese.
Klamath
Falls Teacher Accused Of Providing Drugs To Students
A
teacher was taken into custody at her Klamath Falls home on Friday following
accusations that she provided drugs to students.
Former
House Majority Leader to enter guilty plea Nov. 2
A
former state legislator accused of using his influence at the Statehouse to
benefit two companies is scheduled to plead guilty to corruption charges next
month.
Referee
receives life sentence for child pornography and molestation
A
Knox County sports referee who used his position to lure child molestation
victims into his home was sentenced to life in prison today.
Airport
Screeners Miss Fake Bombs 75% Of The Time
Bogus
bombs run through airport security checkpoints are not identified by screeners
the vast majority of the time, according to a government report.
TB-tainted
man crosses border 76 times
A
Mexican national infected with a highly contagious form of tuberculosis
crossed the U.S. border 76 times and took multiple domestic flights in
the last year, according to Customs and Border Protection interviews and
documents obtained by The Washington Times.
Judge
Yanks Britney's Visitation Rights
Britney
Spears can't even visit her children now. The troubled pop star may not
see 2-year-old Sean Preston and 1-year-old Jayden James - who are in the
custody of Spears' ex-husband, Kevin Federline - until she complies with
a court order, Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon ruled.
Oral
Roberts President Requests Leave of Absence Amid Spending Scandal
Oral
Roberts University President Richard Roberts asked the school's board of
regents for a leave of absence Wednesday amid accusations of lavish spending
at donors' expense and illegal involvement in a political campaign.
Did
Food Giants Get Fat On Iraq Contracts?
Somebody
appeared to be getting fat from the contracts between America's prominent
food companies and the U.S. military in Iraq, according to today's Wall Street
Journal, and it wasn't the troops.
LIRR
'Vigilante' Rider Reacts to Rude Behavior
John
Clifford has, by his own account, punched one woman in the head and poured
his coffee on another. He's interrupted cell phone conversations and yelled
at others who managed to make his morning commute from Long Beach to Penn
Station miserable.
Detroit
school board member charged with assault
A
city school board member has been charged with misdemeanor assault and battery
and disorderly conduct after an alleged confrontation with a Detroit minister
last month, said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy.
I-Team:
Firefighter Paramedic Arrested Again For Burglary, Theft Charges
The
former firefighter-paramedic facing 22 felony charges for breaking into fire
stations and ambulances now faces a new charge: felony escape. Officials say
Sam Bond was able to remove his ankle monitoring device and then broke into
another fire station Saturday morning.
Employee
Suspended Following Theft Of Taxpayer Computer Data
A
supervisor at the state Department of Revenue Services was suspended without
pay Monday after an investigation into the theft of his laptop computer that
contained the names and Social Security numbers of 106,000 Connecticut taxpayers.
Judge
sentences Anderson to five years on corruption convictions
Former
Alaska state Rep. Tom Anderson was sentenced Monday to five years in prison
following his conviction on federal corruption charges.
Getting
Around Rules on Lobbying
In
recent days, about 100 members of Congress and hundreds of Hill staffers attended
two black-tie galas, many of them as guests of corporations and lobbyists that
paid as much as $2,500 per ticket.
Ex-General:
Iraq Is An Unending Nightmare
The
U.S. mission in Iraq is a "nightmare with no end in sight" because
of political misjudgments after the fall of Saddam Hussein that continue today,
a former chief of U.S.-led forces said Friday.
Jailed
T.I., West, Common Win 2 Awards
The
self-proclaimed "King of the South," who was up for nine nominations,
won two awards. But he couldn't accept any trophies or make the planned performance
after being arrested by federal authorities early Saturday.
Clark
County Paramedic Arrested Again
A
Clark County fire paramedic who was arrested almost three weeks ago in connection
with 11 drug burglaries was arrested again Saturday after allegedly stealing
more narcotics.
Counselor
pleads not guilty to trading candy for sex
Flor-Mari Crisostomo, 39, reportedly told police in recorded interviews that
she fell in love with the 17-year-old boy she met on suicide watch.
Defense
contractor fined $700,000 for billing scheme
A
federal judge today fined a defense contractor $700,000 after the company pleaded
guilty to defrauding the government of more than $400,000 in a billing scheme.
Former
'Lost' Star Going To Jail
A
Los Angeles Superior Court judge has sentenced former "Lost" star
Michelle Rodriguez to six months in jail for failing to complete the community
service and alcohol monitoring required by her probation sentence.
'Big
Brother' might have seen your car
Did
you drive on Interstate 35 in early September? Where were you going, and why?
How many people were in the car with you? And by the way, how many people live
in your house?
McIver
released from custody
After
spending two nights in a King County jail for investigation of domestic violence,
Seattle City Council member Richard McIver was released Thursday afternoon on
his own personal recognizance.
Ex-Overture
Center Official Indicted On Corruption Charges
Robert
D'Angelo is charged in a 39-count-indictment with wire fraud, mail fraud, filing
false income tax returns and money laundering.
Funeral
home owner pleads guilty to bilking clients
A
Baltimore funeral home owner admitted in federal court today that he bilked
clients out of more than $900,000 from accounts created to pay for funerals
in advance and spent the ill-gotten proceeds on his gambling habits and lavish
lifestyle.
Detroit
firefighter charged
Police
said John Charles Slavik, a Detroit firefighter, was taken into custody early
Saturday after police were summoned to a home in the Pinckney area on a report
of a possible barricaded gunman.
Teacher
Charged With Assaulting 2 Students
A
teacher was arrested Tuesday and charged with assaulting two of her students.
Kiefer
Sutherland Pleads No Contest in Drunken Driving Case, Will Serve 48 Days in
Jail
Kiefer
Sutherland pleaded no contest Tuesday in his drunken driving case and will begin
serving a 48-day jail sentence while his Fox TV drama "24" begins
its winter production break in December.
Giuliani
law firm sued by high profile Texan
A
prominent Texas Republican has sued Rudy Giuliani’s law firm and a close
friend and partner of Giuliani’s, Kenneth Caruso, alleging that Caruso,
the firm and others “schemed and conspired to steal $10 million.”
More
Scrutiny of Orange County Diocese
Bishop
Tod D. Brown was lauded three years ago for quickly handling Orange County's
share of the nationwide church abuse scandal, reaching settlements totaling
$100 million for some 90 victims.
Britney
Spears to be booked for hit-and-run
A
Los Angeles County judge has ordered Britney Spears to be booked for suspicion
of hit-and-run before a scheduled Oct. 25 court appearance, according to TMZ.com.
Jury
begins deliberations in trial of ousted TSU president
The
jury in the trial of former TSU President Priscilla Slade began deliberating
shortly before 2 p.m. today, after first hearing the criminal charge and then
closing arguments from prosecutors and defense attorneys.
Glass
Company Owner Accused of Making More Business
The
owner of a glass company in Arizona is accused of hiring vandals to break school
bus windows his firm then repaired.
Atlantic
City Mayor to Resign After Disappearing From Sight
The
strange case of the missing mayor began when new information was revealed that
suggests Levy lied about his military service and has been falsely collecting
military benefits.
Sen.
Larry Craig to Join Idaho Hall of Fame, Despite Sex Sting Guilty Plea
Sen.
Larry Craig has been chosen for induction into the Idaho Hall of Fame, despite
his well-publicized arrest and guilty plea in an airport sex sting, officials
said.
Jones
Pleads Guilty in Steroids Case
For
years, Marion Jones angrily denied using steroids. On Friday, she admitted it
was all a lie. The three-time Olympic gold medalist pleaded guilty to lying
to federal investigators when she denied using performance-enhancing drugs,
and announced her retirement after the hearing. Jones also pleaded guilty to
a second count of lying to investigators about her association with a check-fraud
scheme.
Parish
pleads guilty in $90 million investment scam
Charleston
economist Al Parish plead guilty Friday to swindling investors out of more than
$90 million that he used on spending spree for guitars belonging to rock stars,
diamond-encrusted pens, a purple Jaguar with a leopard-print roof and hundreds
of gnomes.
Scandal
Brewing at Oral Roberts U.
Richard
Roberts is accused of illegal involvement in a local political campaign and
lavish spending at donors' expense, including numerous home remodeling projects,
use of the university jet for his daughter's senior trip to the Bahamas, and
a red Mercedes convertible and a Lexus SUV for his wife, Lindsay.
Preacher
arrested in park sex sting resigns post
The
Chairman of the Deacons at First Baptist Church in Rogersville confirms Robert
Riley resigned Wednesday from his position as Pastor.
Autopsies
find alcohol, some cocaine, 2 officials say
A
source who was briefed by a person with knowledge of the autopsies of Paul J.
Cahill and Warren J. Payne told the Globe that one firefighter had a blood-alcohol
level higher than .08, the level at which someone is too drunk to drive legally
in Massachusetts. The other firefighter had traces of cocaine in his system,
the source said.
Putnam
firefighter charged with stealing gas from his fire department
A
North Highlands volunteer firefighter has been charged with stealing from the
department's gas pumps, police and fire officials said today.
Police:
Minister Stole Married Couple's Gifts
A
wedding officiant stole gift cards from a Portland couple after they hired her
to perform their wedding, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
Ex-Casino
Pit Boss Pleads Guilty To Stealing Chips
A
member of the Tulalip Indian Tribe who worked at a tribal casino pleaded guilty
Wednesday to stealing chips.
Dems
Demand Secret Interrogation Memos
House
Democrats demanded Thursday that the Justice Department turn over two secret
memos that reportedly authorize painful interrogation tactics against terror
suspects -- despite the Bush administration's insistence that it has not violated
U.S. anti-torture laws.
La.
Legislative Panel To Issue Citizens Insurance Subpoenas
A
legislative committee today ordered a subpoena for the former head of Louisiana's
state-backed insurance company to answer allegations of fraud, theft and malfeasance.
Audit
Rips PHEAA For Hersheypark Day, Huge Bonuses
Pennsylvania's
student loan agency, PHEAA, has paid hundreds of employees more than $7.5 million
in bonuses over the last three years ...
Report:
Most states pay foster parents far less than cost of raising foster kids
Most
states reimburse foster parents significantly less than the actual cost of raising
a foster child, complicating the task of finding good homes for children who
need them, according to a first-of-its-kind survey.
Bush
lawyer: eavesdropping was illegal
A
former top lawyer for the Bush administration on Tuesday said that parts of
the President Bush's much-criticized eavesdropping program were illegal.
Bribery
scandal exposed: Immigration official in Detroit charged
A
top immigration official is facing charges of bribery and immigration fraud
in a wide-ranging indictment that also implicates two well-known Dearborn restaurant
owners.
Congressman's
Son Fired In Prison Sex Scandal
The
son of U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) has been fired from his job with the Illinois
prison system following a sex scandal.
1,443
victims of rigged hiring?
More
than 1,400 people have staked claim to the $12 million fund created to compensate
victims of City Hall's rigged hiring system, a federal monitor said Monday.
More
U.S. Labs Mishandling Deadly Germs
American
laboratories handling the world's deadliest germs and toxins have experienced
more than 100 accidents and missing shipments since 2003, and the number is
increasing steadily as more labs across the country are approved to do the work.
Springs
Episcopal Priest Defrocked
An
Episcopal church court has affirmed its preliminary ruling that the leader of
a breakaway church in Colorado Springs is guilty of financial misconduct.
Britney
Spears Loses Custody Of Her 2 Sons
A
Los Angeles judge has ordered Britney Spears to turn over her two children to
former husband Kevin Federline this week until further court order.
NBA
Player arrested in Valdosta
Twenty-five-year-old
Kwame Brown, a power forward with the LA Lakers is charged with disorderly conduct
and interference of a law enforcement officer.
Bicyclist
Struck by Police Car Sues City
An
attorney for a bicyclist struck earlier this year by a Seattle police car has
sued the city, saying the Police Department won't release any information it's
gathered about the accident.
Witnesses
said the officer was traveling at excessive speed and was not using his emergency
lights and siren, the lawsuit says.
Federal
Jury Convicts Ex-Leighton Mayor for Extortion
A
federal court jury has convicted the former mayor of Leighton for extorting
money from a mechanic who performed repair work on city vehicles.
EXCLUSIVE:
LAUSD Money Spent On Shopping Sprees?
$451
at the Sharper Image. $796 in yoga classes. $320 at this day spa in Valley Village.
Over $1,600 on a company that sells U.S. Postal Service clothes and accessories.
All taxpayers money. All questionable charges, according to the district’s
inspector general.
Police
Say Jaws Of Life Used In Vandalism
Some
volunteer firefighters in Vermont have been accused of using Jaws of Life during
a vandalism spree, WPTZ-TV in in Plattsburgh, N.Y., reported.
2
Patriot Act Provisions Ruled Unlawful
Two
provisions of the USA Patriot Act are unconstitutional because they allow search
warrants to be issued without a showing of probable cause, a federal judge ruled
Wednesday.
Taxpayers
Lose Interest Because Of State's Errors
Computer
and management problems that caused delays in state income tax refunds cost
taxpayers nearly $1 million in interest.
Candidate
for State Representative Charged With DWI
Eddie
Saenz, 47, was arraigned in Mission Municipal Court on Thursday afternoon. He
was released on his own recognizance after posting a $5,000 bond.
Contractor
Sentenced for Theft
Dennis
Slayton of Brodheadsville was sentenced to 15 months to five years in prison
and ordered to pay more than a half-million dollars in restitution. He was the
owner of Clearview Buildings in Brodheadsville. According to prosecutors, he
took money from nearly 30 customers between 2003 and 2004 but never finished
the homes.
Judge
Has Vick on Curfew After Drug Test
A
federal judge placed tighter restrictions on Michael Vick on Wednesday after
the Atlanta Falcons quarterback tested positive for marijuana.
Little
League Coach Pleads Guilty to Rape of 14-year-old
Eric
Robert Sell, 31, of the 1100 block of Sierra Vista Way, Central Point, pleaded
guilty to a charge of third-degree rape — a felony defined under Oregon
law as sexual contact with a person who is too young to give consent.
Harford
Co. Firefighter Suspended After Alleged Role in Library Fire
A
Havre de Grace volunteer firefighter has been suspended while he awaits trial
on allegations that he was involved last month with the firebombing of the town's
library so that he could later help extinguish the blaze, authorities said.
Teacher
Charged With Having Sex With Teen
The
sex occurred with a 15-year-old in her car and twice at her home between September
and November 2005, according to arrest warrants.
Former
Alaska Lawmaker Convicted
Former
Alaska lawmaker Pete Kott, accused of trading his legislative influence for
bribes, was convicted Tuesday of corruption charges.
Teacher
Charged With Having Sex With Teen Aide
A
former Roseville High School teacher was charged with having sex with a teenage
teacher's assistant.
Michael
Vick Hit With Local Indictments
Michael
Vick, already looking at a federal prison term for bankrolling a dogfighting
operation in rural Virginia, now faces two state charges that could get him
more prison time if he's convicted.
Kiefer
Sutherland Accused Of Drunken Driving
Los
Angeles police said that the "24" star was pulled over in western
Los Angeles at 1:10 a.m. and he failed a field sobriety test.
State
Liquor Honcho Quits Over DUI
Kentucky’s
Alcoholic Beverage Control executive director apologized and resigned Monday
after police said he drank, drove and stumbled during his sobriety test Saturday
night.
Ex-Dixon
Aide Clark Pleads Guilty to Tax-related Charges
Baltimore
Mayor Sheila Dixon's former campaign chairman pleaded guilty to charges of failing
to file tax returns related to his work as a computer consultant for the City
Council and has agreed to cooperate in the state prosecutor's probe into no-bid
contracts at City Hall.
Tyson
Pleads Guilty To Drug Possession
Former
heavyweight champion Mike Tyson pleaded guilty Monday to charges of drug possession
and driving under the influence stemming from a traffic stop last year as he
was leaving a nightclub.
Animal
Control Officer Charged With DUI, Animal Cruelty
Dispatchers
contacted the animal warden, and officers said Covington animal control officer
Richard Beach arrived and showed blatant signs of intoxication.
Britney
Headed to Jail?
Britney
Spears was officially charged Friday afternoon by the Los Angeles city attorney
with two misdemeanor counts – one count of hit-and-run resulting in damaged
property, and the second for driving without a valid California license. The
charges stem from the incident on Aug. 6 when she slammed into a parked car
and drove off without leaving details.
More
Profit and Less Nursing at Many Homes
Over
three years, 15 at Habana died from what their families contend was negligent
care in lawsuits filed in state court. Regulators repeatedly warned the home
that staff levels were below mandatory minimums. When regulators visited, they
found malfunctioning fire doors, unhygienic kitchens and a resident using a
leg brace that was broken.
Pa.
Caregivers of 7 Held in Home Charged
Five
children and two disabled women were locked in a basement cell, fed meager food
and rarely allowed to bathe, by a couple facing criminal charges over their
care, authorities said. The couple were paid $9,000 a month to care for the
seven.
Addiction
Center Case Manager Arrested In Drug Bust
A
man who was arrested in a drug bust over the weekend worked as a case manager
at an organization that helps veterans overcome their addictions.
Postman
Nabbed for Theft
A
Salem postal carrier is charged with stealing cash from greeting cards he picked
up or delivered along his route, court records show.
Two
Rivers Fire Chief Suspended for 10 Days
Fire
Chief Kevin Timm will serve a 10-day, unpaid suspension and perform 50 hours
of community service after being convicted in August of operating a vehicle
while intoxicated, according to City Manager Greg Buckley.
Pastor
Accused in CD, DVD Pirating Bust
A
pastor, Cirven Merrill, who is part of a group trying to stop the violence in
Saginaw is accused of being part of a video and audio pirating ring.
As
a convicted felon, Merrill is not allowed to own a gun, but investigators found
two weapons in his possession.
Court
Official Enters Alford Plea to Misconduct Charge
The
plea last week means Whitney Jones did not admit committing the crime but conceded
prosecutors had enough evidence to convict her.
Superintendent,
Daughter Lose Licenses In Sex Case
The
commission that oversees teacher standards in Georgia has revoked the teaching
licenses of the Montgomery County school superintendent and her daughter, a
former counselor accused of having sex with a student.
Ex-lawmaker
Says Prosecutors Pressured Him to Plead Guilty
The
claim is surfacing in a bribery investigation that has now stretched to Capitol
Hill, where Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young, both from Alaska, are under
scrutiny.
A
lawyer for former state Rep. Vic Kohring said the FBI recently used another
state lawmaker, who was cooperating with investigators, to press Kohring to
take a plea deal.
Ex-City
Commissioner To Stand Trial In 2 Cases
A
former Los Angeles city airport commissioner, Leland Wong, already awaiting
trial on charges stemming from his alleged acceptance of a bribe was ordered
Monday to stand trial in a new case in which he’s accused of conflict
of interest.
Judge
Issues Arrest Warrant For Nun Accused Of Sexual Assault
A
Milwaukee County judge has issued an arrest warrant for a nun accused of sexually
assaulting two boys at a Milwaukee school in the 1960s.
Day
Care Operator Charged With Abuse
Kimberly
D. Coulter, 22, was charged Tuesday in Garfield County District Court with one
count of child abuse. Coulter is accused of shaking a boy who was in her care
...
Chief
Charged In Firefighter Fund Theft
The
chief of Trafalgar's volunteer fire department, Tony Napier, was arrested on
suspicion of stealing hundreds of dollars donated to one of his ill firefighters,
a prosecutor said.
$5
A Meatball: Internal Audit Finds Overspending at Justice Department
An
internal Justice audit, released Friday, showed the department spent nearly
$7 million to plan, host or send employees to ten conferences over the last
two years. This included paying nearly $5 per meatball at one lavish dinner
and spreading an average of $25 worth of snacks around to each participant at
a movie-themed party.
NFL:
The Patriots Cheated
New
England coach Bill Belichick was fined the NFL maximum of $500,000 Thursday
and the Patriots were ordered to pay $250,000 for spying on an opponent's defensive
signals.
Did
OJ Rob a Guy? - Allegations of Guns Drawn
Sources
say OJ Simpson and five other men barged into a hotel room last night, and took
various memorabilia once owned by Simpson -- at gunpoint!
Spicer
Mayor Apologizes For Bar Assault
Spicer
Mayor Perry Wohnoutka has apologized to the town's residents for his behavior
Sept. 1 when he was arrested for assault and disorderly conduct.
Pilfering
Paramedic Pleads Guilty
A
Lincoln County EMS worker, Rob Drobinski, admitted in court that he stole money
from fellow paramedics and even some of the injured in his care.
Priest
May Plead Guilty To Spending $1.4M
The
Rev. Michael Jude Fay, former pastor of St. John Roman Catholic Church, is expected
to plead guilty in U.S. District Court in New Haven to interstate transportation
of money obtained by fraud ...
Joel
Klein Vows Probe of Queen's School's 911 Edict
Former
Jamaica Assistant Principal Guy Venezia sent a memo to school deans on April
12 banning 911 calls "for any reason."
A
911 call leaves a paper trail that can't be covered up, and Jamaica was already
on the city's list of most dangerous schools.
Mystic
Seaport Director Fired for Stealing From the Museum
Police
say Cindy Snarski, 34, of Norwich, allegedly ordered more than $45,000 worth
of copper wire for the museum. Then she sold it to scrap yards in New London
and Essex.
Rapper
Arrested At Miami Strip Club
Rapper
Trick Daddy was arrested after a fight at a strip club early Tuesday, authorities
said.
Mike Tyson Scheduled to Plead Guilty in Drug
Case
The
41-year-old Tyson had previously pleaded not guilty to charges of drug possession
and driving under the influence of drugs.
Embattled
SF Supervisor Jew Rejects Plea Deal
A
rookie San Francisco lawmaker charged with lying about where he lived so he
could run for office rejected a plea offer that would have required him to resign,
according to his defense lawyer.
FBI
Arrests American Samoa Lieutenant Governor, Senator
The
case involves $775,000 in contracts for school construction in the U.S. territory.
Freebery
Sentenced in County Corruption Case
Former
New Castle County Administrator Sherry Freebery was sentenced Monday to a year
of supervised probation and ordered to pay $350 in fines and assessments for
making a false statement on loan application.
The
sentence by a federal judge in Philadelphia brought to an end a wide-ranging
federal investigation into alleged corruption by Freebery and former New Castle
County Executive Tom Gordon.
Former
DC Fire Sergeant Charged With Indecent Exposure
Former
DC Fire and EMS Sergeant Darryl Green turned himself in Saturday to police on
indecent exposure charges.
Steele,
Hackett Set to Leave Monday
Assemblyman
Alfred E. Steele, D-Paterson, one of two state lawmakers facing corruption charges
as a result of an FBI bribery sting, is heeding Governor Corzine's call to step
down, a party spokeswoman said Saturday.
Assemblyman
Mims Hackett Jr., D-Essex, the other legislator caught in the probe, also is
expected to resign from his seat Monday.
Florida
City Councilman Commits Suicide Amid Sex Abuse Probe
A
city councilman apparently committed suicide Friday, hours after he resigned
amid allegations he sexually abused two teenage girls and a woman, authorities
said.
Former
Hospital Chief May Be Charged
Las
Vegas police say a nine-month investigation found evidence of unspecified criminal
conduct by Lacy Thomas, the former chief of University Medical Center.
Thomas
was fired from the financially struggling hospital last January and accused
of funneling no-work hospital contracts to friends.
Teacher
Admits She Had Sex With 5 Students
Allenna
Williams Ward, 23, a seventh-grade language arts teacher at Bell Middle School,
had sex with several students in cars, parks, a hotel and at the school.
Union
Local Accused Of Trying To Rig Elections
A
Teamsters Local 743 officer and three former union local employees were indicted
on federal charges of stealing ballots in an effort to rig two elections in
favor of an incumbent slate of officers in 2004, according to the U.S. Justice
and Labor departments.
'Tribal
Chief' Charged in Immigration Scam
The
leader of an unrecognized American Indian tribe is facing charges including
trying to defraud the federal government and harboring illegal immigrants.
Former
State Film Official Pleads Guilty
Former
Louisiana state film industry recruiter Mark Smith pleaded guilty today to federal
charges that he took bribes to inflate state tax credits for a motion picture
producer.
Jefferson
Motion Attacks Federal Case
Accusing
the Bush Justice Department of mounting a bogus bribery case and using tainted
evidence, attorneys for Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, asked a federal
judge Friday to throw out 14 of the 16 charges against the nine-term congressman
and to move the trial on the two remaining counts to Washington, D.C., from
northern Virginia.
Appeals
Court Finds Tennessee’s ‘Crack Tax’ Unconstitutional
The
law allows the state to go after the belongings of people who are caught with
illegal drugs or alcohol that don’t bear the special tax stamps, regardless
of the outcome of their criminal cases.
Ex-treasurer
of West Boynton Little League Accused of Embezzlement
Walsh
is charged with stealing $13,896.22 from the West Boynton Beach Little League
through a series of checks he cashed as treasurer between March 2005 and July
2006 ...
San
Diego Catholic Diocese To Pay $198 Million
U.S.
Bankruptcy Judge Louise DeCarl Adler's ruling on the 42 lawsuits is a victory
for about 150 people who claim they were sexually abused by priests as children.
11
N.J. Officials Arrested on Corruption
Two
of those arrested are state lawmakers, two are mayors, three are city councilmen,
and several served on the school board in Pleasantville, where the scandal began.
Three
Charities Barred From Colorado
Three
Colorado charities have been barred from collecting donations and must pay thousands
of dollars in fines in a settlement reached Wednesday with the attorney general,
who accused the charities’ directors of using donations for personal vacations,
including a trip to Las Vegas.
Boca
Priest Accused of Soliciting Sex in N.C. Men's Room
Though
the announcement came out this week, police issued a citation for solicitation
to the Rev. Michael Penland in June during a Waynesville police sting operation
dubbed Operation Summer Heat.
Feds
OK Fee for Priority Web Traffic
The
agency told the Federal Communications Commission, which is reviewing high-speed
Internet practices, that it is opposed to "Net neutrality," the principle
that all Internet sites should be equally accessible to any Web user.
McConnell
Says Craig Won't Leave Unless He Fails to Get Plea Withdrawn
Republican
Senator Larry Craig has sent word to party leaders that he'll resign his seat
only if he fails in his bid to withdraw a guilty plea by the end of this month.
Presidential
Run Leaves No Time for Senate
Mr.
McCain leads the pack of nonvoters, missing almost half the votes held in the
110th Congress — 150 of 311. Mr. Brownback has missed 40 percent, and
Mr. Biden and Mr. Dodd have each missed about a quarter (25 percent and 24 percent,
respectively).
Abusing
Privilege
Just
how often these badges are abused isn't known, but an aide of Assemblyman Mervyn
Dymally, D-Compton, provided a good example by flashing a badge when he was
being arrested on suspicion of DUI. Apparently, Dymally had purchased a number
of legislative badges and passed them out to his staff, his family and even
some political donors.
State
Sues Real Estate Firms, Brokers, Alleging Predatory Lending
The
state has sued seven companies and individuals over accusations they devised
an elaborate scheme to mislead low-income borrowers into taking on mortgages
they could not afford and ultimately being forced into foreclosure.
D.C.
Fire Chief to Discuss Sexual Misconduct Allegations
The
city's fire chief has asked police to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct
in the D.C. fire department.
Some
Details Lacking In Disclosures
The
renovation work began in early 2005, but Costa did not prepare a bill for the
renovation until February 2007, and the mayor did not send Costa any money until
July. State criminal investigators are looking into the matter.
Perez
also did not file permits for the work until after the state investigation became
public.
Police:
Girl Scout Leader Stole Scouts' IDs
A
Girl Scout leader accused of stealing her young scouts' social security numbers
and netting $87,000 in a tax scheme pleaded not guilty to the charges on Tuesday.
Jury
Selection Begins in Alleged Wasserstrom Corruption Case
The
case went public about 11 months ago when state prosecutors charged Wasserstrom
with five counts of felony corruption, accusing him of "influencing the
contract process in favor of Schwing Bioset."
Former
CMS Teacher Arrested for Sex Crime
Last
year Jerry Seale taught biology at Derita Alternative School. Now he’s
behind bars, charged with four counts of felony sex offense against one of his
students.
California
Legislature Revives Car Seizure Law
The
state will keep the vehicle belonging to any accused owner for thirty days,
collecting significant towing, impoundment, storage and administrative fees
imposed in addition to a fine of up to $1000. The punishment of seizure is imposed
without any finding of guilt by a jury or even a judge.
Former
Fire Lieutenant Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault of Girl
Trevor
George Howett, 30, of 2949 Sunset Drive in York Township, met the girl while
speaking to students at the York County School of Technology, police said.
He
pleaded guilty to aggravated indecent assault, sexual abuse of a child, sexual
assault and corruption of minors in two separate cases involving the same girl,
according to court records.
Federal
Prisoner Gets $125K From Government
The
inmate sued because the U.S. marshals are responsible for inmates in federal
custody. He was in a holding cell while waiting to testify as a prosecution
witness in 2005.
Marshals
put the victim in a cell with two inmates who were friends of two defendants
who were on trial in the case in which he was a witness. A recording from a
security video camera aimed at the cells shows the two cell mates attacking
the victim.
Church
Coalition: Minister Should Be Suspended Over Allegations He Beat His Evangelist
Wife
Thomas
W. Weeks III, known to his followers as Bishop Weeks, was charged with aggravated
assault and making terroristic threats following a confrontation last month
that police say left Bynum badly bruised.
Washington,
D.C., Fire Department Under Investigation for Alleged Prostitution Ring
City
officials and investigators won't confirm details, but reports include allegations
that a prostitution ring was referred to as "D.C. Fems," a play on
the acronym for the city's fire and emergency medical services department.
Couple
Says Congressman Left Threatening Voice Mail
A
local couple is complaining that U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn left them two threatening
voice mails after they wrote a letter criticizing his fundraising.
The
Bartha's letter criticized Lamborn for accepting $1,500 in campaign contributions
from the gambling industry. Federal records confirm the donations were accepted,
but Lamborn said he returned them. He did not say when and The Post said there
is no federal record of them being returned.
Woman
In Phony Rape Case Heads To Jail
A
woman whose lie about being raped kept an innocent man behind bars for almost
two years is now in jail herself.
Teens
Found Running Day Care
State
officials have closed a Stamford home day care center after finding the owner
had left her teenage children in charge while she traveled to Florida.
Ravenel
Agrees to Plea to Cocaine Charges
Former
State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge
of conspiring to possess and distribute less than 500 grams of cocaine, according
to a plea agreement filed this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Columbia.
U.N.
Weapons Inspectors Find Potentially Hazardous Chemicals
United
Nations weapons inspectors discovered potentially hazardous chemical agents
in their office near U.N. headquarters that were probably taken from Iraq's
main chemical weapons facility 11 years ago, officials said Thursday.
Club:
Andy Dick Groped, Offended, Urinated
Stroupe,
the club's managing partner, said the 41-year-old actor-comedian made inappropriate
comments while on stage, groped patrons, took women into the men's room and
urinated on the floor and on at least one person.
Administrator
Arrested On Drunken Driving Charge
Queen
Anne's County Administrator John Borders was arrested on a drunken driving charge.
Boy
Scouts Lawsuit Opens Secret Files
Kosnoff
analyzed the numbers and came to this shocking conclusion: Before 1991, "a
Scout leader was being tossed out for child molestation at the rate of one every
three days," he said. "Post-1991, the rate was one every two days."
That includes people suspected of abuse.
Ex-analyst
at Goldman Sachs Pleads Guilty
Eugene
Plotkin, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and eight
counts of insider trading, admitting key roles in schemes that resulted in $6.7
million in illegal profits.
Aide
Allegedly Crashes Edwards Event
Former
Sen. Max Cleland has suspended his chief of staff after the man allegedly crashed
a John Edwards fundraiser on Martha's Vineyard, then broke into a nearby Coast
Guard station.
Teacher
Pleads Guilty To Sex Offense With Student
She
was charged with two counts of third-degree sex offense, two counts of fourth-degree
sex offense and two counts of solicitation of a minor.
Panicked
Briggs Initially Reported Car Stolen
Bears
linebacker Lance Briggs said he panicked after he crashed his new Lamborghini
along a highway early Monday morning and initially reported his car stolen after
abandoning the mangled vehicle.
Other
Washington Sex Scandals
Some
other Washington sex scandals from the past.
Affirmative
Action Backfires
Three
years ago, UCLA law professor Richard Sander published an explosive, fact-based
study of the consequences of affirmative action in American law schools in the
Stanford Law Review. Most of his findings were grim, and they caused dismay
among many of the champions of affirmative action -- and indeed, among those
who were not.
Vulgar
Edits to Encyclopedia Linked to State Computers
At
least 2,800 edits to Wikipedia sites including Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka's
were made by computers with Internet addresses registered to agencies including
the state Department of Education and the University of Hawaii.
Sex
Arrest Clouds Senator's Future
Idaho
Sen. Larry Craig, who has voted against gay marriage and opposes extending special
protections to gay and lesbian crime victims, finds his political future in
doubt after pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges stemming from complaints
of lewd conduct in a men's room.
TMZ:
Spears Targeted In Child Abuse Investigation
Britney
Spears is being investigated for possible child abuse, according to TMZ.
ACLU
Sues DEA on Behalf of Truck Whose Money was Seized
A
trucker has sued the Drug Enforcement Administration, seeking to get back nearly
$24,000 seized by DEA agents earlier this month at a weigh station on U.S. 54
in New Mexico north of El Paso, Texas.
Officers
took the money and turned it over to the DEA. DEA agents photographed and fingerprinted
Prieto over his objections, then released him without charging him with anything.
Imprisoned,
Unprotected
At
least 20 sex-related incidents involving correctional staff and inmates have
been reported at the prison in the past five years, according to Department
of Justice records obtained through public disclosure. The allegations ranged
from groping during pat-downs to forced sex.
Yet
not a single Bureau of Prisons employee at the facility has been prosecuted
for sex-related crimes during that period. One guard was fired for failing to
report a co-worker's sexual misconduct. Several quit while under investigation
and the cases were dropped.
Senate
Begins Investigation of DeLuca's Gangsterism
The
state Senate voted 33-0 Wednesday to create a committee to investigate Sen.
Louis DeLuca, who asked a trash hauler to threaten his granddaughter's husband.
Pastor
Indicted on Sexual Battery Charges
John
Olivares, 66, of 370 Tripp Road, Lawrenceburg, has been indicted on five counts
of sexual battery, according to authorities.
Washington
County Commissioner Arrested
Attorney
General Troy King announced the arrest today of a Washington County Commissioner
for multiple felony counts of ethics, forgery and theft charges. Willie Lewis
Dixon, 56, of St. Stevens, was arrested by agents of the Attorney General's
Office and the Washington County Sheriff's Office, and taken to the Washington
County Jail.
Wal-Mart
Owes Back Taxes, State Says
Wal-Mart
says it has not done anything wrong but is merely taking advantage of an overlap
of state and federal tax laws: To reduce its taxes and costs, it sets up one
subsidiary to run its stores and another subsidiary to own its real estate.
The operating subsidiary pays rent to the real estate subsidiary and takes a
tax deduction for the rent, even though that money eventually ends up in the
corporation's own pocket.
NFL
Suspends Vick Indefinitely
Around
April, Vick, Peace and Phillips tested some dogs in fighting sessions at Vick's
property in Virginia, the statement said. "Peace, Phillips and Vick agreed
to the killing of approximately 6-8 dogs that did not perform well in 'testing'
sessions at 1915 Moonlight Road and all of those dogs were killed by various
methods, including hanging and drowning.
Textron
to Pay Nearly $5M to Settle Oil-for-Food Fraud
A
U.S. aircraft and finance company will pay nearly $5 million to settle charges
that its subsidiaries paid kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's government during the
United Nations' oil-for-food program, prosecutors said yesterday.
Illegal
Immigrants, Supporters Plan Business Boycott In Prince William Co.
They
said they are angry at Prince William County and they will use their money to
demand respect.
Lawrence
High Students to be Charged $1 a Day to Take Bus
Starting
in October, the School Department will charge each student up to $180 per year
to take the bus to and from school.
The
school budget includes $770,000 to bus students to the high school. The money
already in the budget is expected to cover the cost of the buses even without
the fees from students. But Laboy hopes to collect $80,000 from the fees to
help offset the expense.
Lawmaker
Points Blame for Scandal at Colleague
State
Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, who could be the subject of an ethics investigation,
blamed a Republican colleague in the House on Thursday and downplayed a scandal
over a parade float.
Bramble
claimed Rep. Rebecca Lockhart, R-Provo, played the main role in arranging for
the Mountainland Applied Technology College to build a parade float for the
Utah County Republican Party. The project, which involved the illegal use of
several hundred dollars in public monies later reimbursed, was disclosed in
a state audit released Wednesday.
Youth
Suspended Over Sketch of Gun
A
13-year-old boy has been suspended for three days by an Arizona public school
because he sketched a picture that resembled a gun, something school officials
said they "absolutely" believed could pose a threat.
DCFS
Knew of Abuse Before Boy's Hypothermia Death
Utah
child welfare workers knew Josue Contreras-Velasco was being abused four months
before caretakers allegedly killed the 9-year-old in July by putting him into
a trash can of ice water at a Salt Lake City restaurant.
Cops:
Preacher Attacked Televangelist Wife
Preacher
Thomas W. Weeks III, founder of Global Destiny churches, will be charged with
aggravated assault and terroristic threats, Officer Ronald Campbell said.
Former
Westward Ho Manager Pleads Guilty
Sixty-year-old
Nancy Frerichs admits to stealing more than one million dollars from country
club members over the course of several years.
Nicole
Richie Sprung From Jail in 82 Minutes
The
25-year-old was originally sentenced to 96 hours in jail, but that was reduced
to 90 hours because of time served when she was arrested.
School
Board Member Pleads Guilty to Drug Smuggling
Prosecutors
allege Raul Garcia, 35, ran a trucking company that transported at least 450
pounds of cocaine hidden in produce shipments.
Police:
Fugitive Pastor Faked Death with Blood-stained Truck
Kevin
Othell Laferney, a former youth pastor, is accused of sexually assaulting a
child in Upshur County, Texas, last summer. He faked his death in February and
disappeared before he was scheduled to appear in court, authorities said.
City
of Minneapolis Paying Man Charged with Murder
The
City Council agreed to the payment to settle a lawsuit filed by Philander Jenkins
in 2005. The lawsuit alleges that officer Jeff Jindra repeatedly kicked Jenkins
in the head and broke his jaw while he was handcuffed.
Lindsay
Lohan Charged with 7 Misdemeanors in 2 DUI Cases
Lindsay
Lohan has been charged with seven misdemeanors stemming from two drunken-driving
cases, but she escaped any felony charges.
Plano
Mom, Son Accused of Stealing From Charity
Nelson,
the founder of the now-defunct Starfish Foundation, and her son, Jason Nelson,
are accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from a charity designed
to help drug-addicted teens.
Commissioner
Pleads Guilty
Cabarrus
County Commissioner Coy Privette pleaded guilty Wednesday to six counts of aiding
and abetting prostitution.
Firefighter
Accused Of Setting Fire To Auto Garage, Vacant Homes
West
Hills Regional police said 19-year-old Charles Shenego, of Johnstown, told investigators
he set the fires because there were no good fire calls in the township and he
was looking for some action.
Ex-DPW
Chief Gets Probation
The
borough's former public works chief was sentenced Friday to probation and manual
labor for stealing more than $3,900 from the town.
Police:
Clerical Worker Changed Son's Grades
Tamara
Thomas, of Windsor Township, is accused of changing her son's probability/statistics
and trigonometry grades. She is also accused of raising his SAT scores by 60
points. Thomas worked as a secretary in the school district.
Foxy
Brown in Yet More Trouble
After
a check showed the SUV's registration had been suspended, the 27-year-old rapper
gave officers a variation of her real name and a date of birth that was a year
off, authorities said.
Youth
Group Leader Accused Of Molesting Teen
West
Hempfield Township police said Stephen LaVenice sexually assaulted a 15-year-old
girl at his Landisville home during a sleepover in June.
CIA
Missed Chances to Tackle al-Qaida
The
CIA's top leaders failed to use their available powers, never developed a comprehensive
plan to stop al-Qaida and missed crucial opportunities to thwart two hijackers
in the run-up to Sept. 11, the agency's own watchdog concluded in a bruising
report released Tuesday.
Store
Suspected Councilman Stole Pills Before
Brad
Olson, 47, was charged with fourth-degree theft in connection with taking prescriptions
he picked up at the Hy-Vee at 1725 Jordan Creek Parkway.
Third
Man Indicted with Ravenel on Cocaine Charges
A
third person has been indicted along with former state Treasurer Thomas Ravenel
on a federal charge of conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine, according
to an amended indictment issued this afternoon.
Utility
Authority not Releasing Documents
The
crux of the matter is what was said behind closed doors at MUA meetings at which
Valley Ridge, a housing development, was reportedly being discussed. A former
resident who requested the documents said the MUA was talking about taking residents'
properties through eminent domain.
Artesia
Firefighter Fired After DWI Charge
Police
say Chris Garcia, 42, was drunk when he smashed his pickup into a parked car
in April, pushing the car 19 feet across the road.
Officials
Slam Plan to Ban Arrests of Illegals
The
legislation (HB 404) – introduced by Rep. Lily Mesa, D-Manchester –
would prohibit state and local police from detaining or arresting anyone whose
sole offense is the violation of federal immigration laws.
Pentagon
to Shut Down Controversial Database
The
Pentagon said Tuesday that it will shut down an anti-terror database that has
been criticized for improperly storing information on peace activists and others
whose actions posed no threat.
Tenn.
Nuke Accident Hidden From Public
A
three-year veil of secrecy in the name of national security was used to keep
the public in the dark about the handling of highly enriched uranium at a nuclear
fuel processing plant — including a leak that could have caused a deadly,
uncontrolled nuclear reaction.
Congressman
Faces Assault and Battery Charges
Rep.
Bob Filner, D-California, faces misdemeanor assault and battery charges related
to an incident that occurred Sunday night at Dulles Airport, where he allegedly
pushed a United Airlines baggage claim worker.
Middle
School Principal Pleads Guilty to Meth Charge
A
former middle school principal accused of selling crystal methamphetamine from
his office and home pleaded guilty to drug charges on Friday.
Michael
Vick Accepts Plea Deal
Michael
Vick's lawyer said Monday the NFL star will plead guilty to federal dogfighting
conspiracy charges, putting the Atlanta Falcons quarterback's career in jeopardy
and leaving him subject to a possible prison term.
Twice
Chastised, He Gets a New Job
The
adult son of a top-ranking Los Angeles County executive was twice disciplined
for associating with suspected criminals while employed by the Sheriff's Department
but was given a new county job instead of being fired, according to interviews
and sheriff's records.
Christopher
A. Bunn Jr. was disciplined in 2004 for inappropriately visiting two friends
who were in sheriff's custody and again this year for riding in a car with a
suspected gang member. Some department officials determined that his actions
were serious enough that he should be fired, according to sources familiar with
the matter.
Sex
Investigation Launched Against Marshall High School Teacher
A
teacher at John Marshall High School in the Los Feliz area was under investigation
today for alleged sexual misconduct with special education students, authorities
said.
SEC
Files Civil Charges Against Ex-Brocade CFO
The
former chief financial officer of Brocade Communications Systems Inc. was charged
Friday with eight counts of civil securities fraud for allegedly ignoring that
the company was improperly accounting for backdated stock option awards.
Former
Heat Player Reaches Deal In DUI Case
Former
Miami Heat player James Posey has agreed to plead guilty to reckless driving
in connection with an incident in April on Miami Beach, prosecutors said Friday.
Iowa
to Pay Subjects $925K for Stuttering Study
The
state has agreed to pay $925,000 to unwitting subjects of an infamous 1930s
stuttering experiment — orphans who were badgered and belittled as children
by University of Iowa researchers trying to induce speech impediments.
Woman
Defrauds Defense Dept Out Of $20M
An
owner of a defunct company accused of bilking the Defense Department out of
more than $20 million, including charging nearly $1 million to ship two 19-cent
washers, pleaded guilty Thursday to federal wire fraud and money laundering.
Minister:
Death To My Tax Status Critics
A
California minister who used church stationery and an Internet radio program
to endorse former Gov. Mike Huckabee for president is asking his followers to
pray for the deaths of those who filed a complaint against him with the IRS.
The
Mayor's Mistake
Mayor
Eddie A. Perez Thursday said he was wrong to hire a Hartford contractor with
millions of dollars in city work to do a $20,000 kitchen and bathroom renovation
in his house.
Funeral
Home Owner Accused Of Bilking Customers
Nolan
faces 90 criminal charges, including 25 theft counts, eight counts of abuse
of a corpse, two counts of improperly selling pre-need contracts and 55 counts
of theft from at-risk adults.
Former
Miss. Beef Plant Owner to be Sentenced
Richard
N. Hall Junior of Nashville pleaded guilty in 2006 to money laundering and mail
fraud.
Earlier
this month, Sean Carothers, a construction company owner, was sentenced to 21
months in federal prison for paying kickbacks to Hall. The failure of the Mississippi
Beef Processors plant cost taxpayers nearly $55 million.
Charges,
Suspension Follow Bat Attack
Former
major league All-Star Jose Offerman was suspended indefinitely Wednesday, a
day after he went wild in the minors and hit the opposing pitcher and catcher
with his bat.
Pastor
Rejects Plea Deal Despite Evidence
Modesto
Reyes said he wants to go to trial even though two DNA tests identify him as
the father of the girl's baby.
Father,
Son Pastors Plead Not Guilty To Theft
Father
and son pastors who allegedly stole more than $1 million from Calvary Baptist
Yorba Linda Church and School, which the elder man founded in 1976, pleaded
not guilty on Thursday to grand theft and conspiracy charges.
They
also face a sentencing enhancement for allegedly taking property worth more
than $1 million.
Suit
Says District Ignores Lead Tests
The
D.C. government has been failing to comply with a federal court order to screen
thousands of low-income children for lead poisoning, according to lawyers in
the case.
U.S.
Agents Accused of Aiding Islamist Scheme
A
criminal investigations report says several U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services employees are accused of aiding Islamic extremists with identification
fraud and of exploiting the visa system for personal gain.
Ex-NBA
Referee Pleads Guilty to Charges
Former
NBA referee Tim Donaghy pleaded guilty to felony charges Wednesday for taking
cash payoffs from gamblers and betting on games he officiated in a scandal that
rocked the league and raised questions about the integrity of the sport.
Kansas
American Indian Tribe Accused of Recruiting Illegal Immigrants as Members
Investigators
have made the first two arrests in an ongoing, multistate probe into whether
a Wichita-based American Indian tribe was recruiting illegal immigrants by promising
them tribal membership would protect them.
Former
Insurance Agent Gets 15 Years for Scams
A
former Chesapeake man has been sentenced to 10 years in state prison for obtaining
money by false pretenses and another five years in federal prison for aggravated
identity theft and money laundering.
Lobbyist
Charged with Faking Names on Ex-Rep.'s Petitions
A
political consultant and lobbyist has been charged over accusations that he
forged names -- including those of dead people -- on nominating petitions for
former state Rep. Michael Diven.
Report:
Michael Vick Considering Plea Deal
Atlanta
Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is considering a plea deal on federal dogfighting
charges, according to ESPN.com.
State
Lawmaker Faces Felony Charge
State
Rep. Ron Sailor Jr. has been arrested on a felony fraud charge, accused of writing
a bad check for $1,111 to pay utilities on a house in Gwinnett County.
Virginia
Circuit Court Defends Speeding Ticket Tax
Henrico
County, Virginia Circuit Court Judge L.A. Harris, Jr. today defended the state's
"civil remedial fees" that add a $1050 mandatory tax, on top of an
existing $2500 maximum penalty, for speeding offenses of 15 MPH over the limit
in a 65 zone. Harris overturned the August 2 ruling of a general district court
judge in the same county that found the fees violated the equal protection clauses
of the state and federal constitutions.
Katrina
Aid Goes Toward Football Condos
With
large swaths of the Gulf Coast still in ruins from Hurricane Katrina, rich federal
tax breaks designed to spur rebuilding are flowing hundreds of miles inland
to investors who are buying up luxury condos near the University of Alabama's
football stadium.
New
Orleans Council Member Pleads Guilty To Bribery In Federal Court
Thomas
was accused of taking $15,000 in bribes from Stan "Pampy" Barre, a
businessman seeking to maintain a city parking lot contract, according to a
news release from U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.
Indicted
Hawthorne City Councilman to Skip Race
Indicted
Hawthorne City Councilman Louis Velez will not seek a second term in office,
as he focuses on battling conflict-of-interest allegations that could send him
to prison for up to three years.
Gov's
Probe 'Shhutdown'
Far
from cooperating in the Troopergate probe, Gov. Spitzer's aides "moved
to shut everyone down" after learning one of their own had unexpectedly
confessed his role in the scandal to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's investigators,
The Post has learned.
Police:
Reverend 'Person Of Interest'
The
Reverend Donald Armstrong of Colorado Springs, the rector of Grace Church and
St. Stephen's parish in Colorado Springs, is a person of interest in an embezzlement
investigation, officials said.
Edwards
Daughter Received Murdoch Money
Democratic
presidential candidate John Edwards recently defended taking a lucrative book
contract from a publisher controlled by Rupert Murdoch -- whose News Corp. empire
Edwards has sharply criticized -- by insisting that “every dime”
of his $500,000 advance went to charity.
Ex-city
Firefighter Guilty of Child Pornography
Angelo
Sudano, 32, of Joppa resigned from the Baltimore Fire Department soon after
FBI agents raided his home and searched his computer.
$1.5
Million Payback Ordered in SEC Suit
A
Baltimore investment research firm and one of its editors have been ordered
to pay $1.5 million in restitution and civil penalties for disseminating false
stock information and defrauding public investors through a financial newsletter,
according to a court ruling.
Broken
Leg Costs County $1.5 Million
A
Ventura man whose leg was severely fractured while he was being restrained by
deputies at the main jail will receive $1.5 million from the county to settle
a federal civil rights lawsuit.
2
Former Ad-agency Workers Plead Guilty in $1.5M Fraud
Michael
Cragan, 44, and his wife, Michelle Huss Cragan, 35, both former employees of
Cragan, Campellone and Associates, acknowledged assisting Douglas Haase , a
Kraft Foods Inc. executive, in a phony billing scheme.
Nude
Jogging Priest Gets Under Residents' Skin
The
Rev. Robert Whipkey told officers he had been running naked about an hour before
sunrise at the Frederick High School track and didn't think anyone would be
around at that time of day, a police report said.
Christian
Boot Camp Officials Accused of Dragging Teen Behind Van
Charles
Eugene Flowers and Stephanie Bassitt of San Antonio-based Love Demonstrated
Ministries, a 32-day boot camp, are facing aggravated assault charges for the
alleged June 12 incident.
Rap
Star Stiffed Me, Contractor Complains
Platinum-selling
rapper Ja Rule, whose public disses of fellow artists 50 Cent, Eminem and DMX
made tabloid headlines, has a new nemesis -- a Saddle Brook contractor who claims
he got stiffed for $8,000.
Officials
Go with the Flow
Los
Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa challenged residents this summer to "change
course" and slash their water use by 10% in the face of a historic drought.
In
fact, a review of Department of Water and Power documents shows that at least
nine of the city's 18 elected leaders used higher than average amounts of water
-- sometimes a little, other times a lot -- over the last two years.
Daly
City Man Jailed For Nearly Two Years Found Not Guilty
A
20-year-old Daily City man who spent the last 19 months in county jail on murder
charges was set free Tuesday after a San Francisco jury found him not guilty
...
"The
shocking thing about the trial was how much witnesses lied," Jacobs said.
"They were caught in lies, they admitted to lying, they lied under oath."
SEC
Accuses Former Nicor Executives of Fraud
Former
Nicor Inc. Chief Executive Officer Thomas Fisher and two other ex-executives
were sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly manipulating
financial reports to meet earnings targets.
200
Keystone Employees Fired
The
Equity Group/Keystone chicken processing plant in Barbour County is in the process
of letting go more than 200 Hispanic workers.
“We’re
addressing documentation issues,” plant manager Randy Kline said. Kline
said the company has re-examined the I-9 employment verification documents of
its employees.
Kids
Strip-searched at Day Camp
Parents
are outraged in an Indiana community after they learned their young children
were strip-searched at a summer day camp.
Chief
of Civil Air Patrol Suspended
The
Civil Air Patrol has suspended its national commander after investigating allegations
that another patrol member took Air Force exams for him, a patrol official said.
27
Arrested in Identity Fraud Raid
All
27 detainees are in this country illegally and eventually will face deportation
to Brazil, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said.
The
arrests sent a shudder through Chelsea yesterday, home to a large immigrant
population and sympathetic city officials. Municipal officials recently declared
Chelsea a sanctuary city, a largely symbolic measure that welcomes immigrants
regardless of their legal status, though they are still subject to federal laws.
Yacht
Club Under Tobin Bridge Hit by Falling Concrete Chunks, Rust Shards
Chunks
of concrete and shards of rust have been falling from the Tobin Bridge and breaking
windshields and causing other damage on boats and cars 200 feet below at the
Chelsea Yacht Club, according to boat owners.
Group
Calls For Aiona To Quit PSA Appearances
A
respected public service group, the League of Women Voters, said that Lt. Gov.
Duke Aiona is violating the spirit of a new law.
State
Won't Snitch on Abused 'Illegals'
The
Spitzer administration wants to make it easier for illegal aliens to receive
government services protecting them from child or domestic abuse without the
fear of deportation, The Post has learned.
Former
Bookkeeper Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement Charges
An
Acushnet woman has pleaded guilty to accusations that she embezzled more than
1.1 million dollars from a Westport firm.
Ex-Brocade
CEO Reyes Guilty on All Backdating Counts
Gregory
Reyes, the former hard-charging chief executive of Brocade Communications Systems,
was found guilty today of all 10 counts of securities fraud related to stock
options back dating.
Selma
School Official Arrested on Child Porno Charges
The
newly hired chief financial officer for the Selma city school system is facing
federal child pornography charges after the seizure of his home computer in
Cullman.
Felony
Charges Filed Against Acen Phillips In Insurance Case
The
state Attorney General's Office has filed charges against well-known clergyman
Acen L. Phillips in connection with an insurance fraud investigation.
D.C.
Fire Sergeant Quits Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations
A
district fire and EMS sergeant accused of sexual misconduct resigned over the
weekend.
The
firefighters had been placed on administrative leave immediately after the allegations
surfaced.
Pentagon
Loses Track of Weapons for Iraqi Forces
The
Pentagon cannot account for 190,000 AK-47 rifles and pistols given to Iraqi
security forces in 2004 and 2005, or about half the weapons earmarked for soldiers
and police, according to a government report.
U.N.
Worker Charged In Visa Fraud Scheme
Vyacheslav
Manokhin, a U.N. employee based in Manhattan, was accused of helping numerous
non-U.S. citizens enter the country illegally by providing fraudulent documents
so they could obtain visas to attend conferences that either did not exist or
which they did not attend.
Army
Corps, Which Dumped Old Ordnance on N.J. Beach, Wants Town's Help to Pay for
Cleanup
The
Army Corps of Engineers, which accidentally dumped sand filled with old military
ordnance on Surf City's beach, now wants the town to help pay to remove it.
6
New Sex Abuse Lawsuits Filed After Ore. Archdiocese Settlement
Six
more sex abuse lawsuits were filed Thursday in federal court against the Roman
Catholic Archdiocese of Portland, the first complaints since the archdiocese
resolved its bankruptcy with a massive settlement in April.
System
Failed Lexi, Too
The
Enquirer found that the Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services
placed a little girl in the care of a man who was convicted of incest in Montana,
a man now charged with beating the child to death.
Doctor
Sentenced For Molesting Patients
Dr.
James Kegler will spend 18 months in jail and be under community control for
five years following his release, authorities said.
Kegler
was arrested in March 2006 after he was accused of molesting at least seven
of his female patients.
Feds
Knew About TYC Abuse Cases
For
four years, U.S. Justice Department attorneys heard the horror stories: Inmates
in Texas juvenile prisons were being beaten and molested by the people who were
supposed to protect them.
The
Justice Department ultimately declined to prosecute anyone at TYC or do anything
to compel agency-wide reforms.
L.A.
Mayor's Girlfriend Suspended From Job
A
Los Angeles television anchor who reported on the mayor's marital problems without
telling viewers she was "the other woman" has been suspended by her
Spanish-language network.
Man
Mauled to Death at Ving Rhames' Home
The
caretaker, whose name was not released by authorities, was found dead on the
front lawn of Rhames' gated home in an expensive Brentwood neighborhood, covered
in dog bites, a Los Angeles police spokesman said.
Computer
Security Problems Found at IRS
IRS
employees ignored security rules and turned over sensitive computer information
to a caller posing as a technical support person, according to a government
study.
Senate
Vote Gives Temporary Boost to Bush's Eavesdropping Power
The
Senate, in a high-stakes showdown over national security, voted late Friday
to temporarily give President Bush expanded authority to eavesdrop on suspected
foreign terrorists without court warrants.
Skaggs
Seeks Tuition Break for Kids of Illegal Immigrants
Colorado
higher education director David Skaggs says he will try to remove legal barriers
to in-state tuition for Colorado students whose parents are in the country illegally.
A
Queens City Councilman Is Indicted in a Rape Case
City
Councilman Dennis P. Gallagher has been indicted by a Queens grand jury investigating
rape allegations against him, the councilman and his lawyer confirmed yesterday.
Virginia
District Court Judge Strikes Down Ticket Tax
Judge
Archer L. Yeatts, III ruled that the civil remedial fees violated the equal
protection clause by applying additional, mandatory fines of up to $3000 on
Virginia drivers, but not out-of-state drivers who may have committed the same
driving violation.
Church
Funds Mishandled in Abuse Suits
A
handful of parishes in the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego deliberately
concealed or inappropriately handled about $500,000 in funds in sometimes "purposeful
attempts" to circumvent federal bankruptcy proceedings, according to an
auditor's report.
Dozens
of Puerto Rican Doctors Arrested for Alleged License Fraud
A
federal grand jury indicted 88 doctors following an investigation into members
of the U.S. Caribbean territory's medical licensing board, who allegedly altered
low-scoring tests to certify unqualified candidates.
Minneapolis
Bridge Falls During Rush Hour
A
2001 evaluation of the bridge, prepared for the state transportation department
by the University of Minnesota Civil Engineering Department, reported that there
were preliminary signs of fatigue on the steel truss section under the roadway,
but no cracking.
Chicago
Firefighter Accused of Sexual Abuse
A
Chicago firefighter was charged with felony criminal sexual assault Tuesday,
as prosecutors accused him of abusing a relative dozens of times over two years.
R.
Kelly Case to Begin Trial
The
criminal case against R&B star R. Kelly — which has been pending for
five years — is headed to trial at last.
SF
Supervisor Ed Jew Ordered to Trial
San
Francisco Supervisor and part-time Burlingame resident Ed Jew was ordered to
stand trial today on nine counts of perjury, voter fraud and making false statements.
Transplant
Surgeon Charged in Failed Organ Harvest Case in SLO Booked in Jail, Released
on $10,000 Bail
Prosecutors
allege that on Feb. 3, 2006, Roozrokh, acting as part of the Oakland-based California
Transplant Donor Network’s transplant team, attempted to hasten the death
of 25-year-old disabled man ...
Stevens
Refuses to Cool Jets on Ethics
One
day after the feds rummaged through his property on a corruption probe, he threatened
to try to kill an ethics reform package.
Cracking
down on private gifts to lawmakers, Stevens warned colleagues, would make it
more expensive for him to travel the vast interior of Alaska on private jets.
Biddle
Denies Responsibility for Missing Funds
A
former Wallace Community College employee being billed for more than $30,000
missing from the college cafeteria says she isn’t responsible for the
lost money.
Vick
Bankrolled Dogfighting, Co-defendant Says in Plea Deal
A
co-defendant told federal prosecutors that NFL star Michael Vick "almost
exclusively funded" a dogfighting operation and provided the money to bet
on matches, according to court documents related to the man's guilty plea.
Black
Admits Giving Decker Cash
Prosecutors
have said Black gave former GOP Rep. Michael Decker thousands of dollars to
switch political parties in 2003, including the money Decker got after casting
the deciding vote in the speaker's election.
Police
Charge Minister with Indecent Exposure, DUI
Police
in Johnson City arrested a Bristol, Virginia, minister for driving under the
influence and indecent exposure.
Cipriani
Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion
Restaurateur
Giuseppe Cipriani and his father pleaded guilty Tuesday to evading $10 million
in state and city taxes.
FBI,
IRS Search Home Of Alaskan Senator
Agents
from the FBI and Internal Revenue Service on Monday searched the home of U.S.
Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, an official said.
Jay
Woman Found Guilty of Embezzlement
A
Jay woman has been sentenced to home confinement for embezzling veteran's benefits
from her dead mother's bank account.
State
Rep. Joe Preston Accused Of Assault
Police
said state Representative Joe Preston, of East Liberty, is accused of assaulting
a woman.
Marshall
County Caregiver Found Guilty Of Embezzlement
A
Marshall County grand jury has found Linda Teasedale guilty of embezzlement
and conspiracy to commit embezzlement.
Did
the Geek Squad Turn Into the 'Peek Squad'?
In
recent months, allegations of agents copying pornography, music and alluring
photos from customers' computers have circulated on the Internet. Some bloggers
now call it the "Peek Squad."
Jury:
Ex-Commerce Aide Misused Public Funds
The
former second-in-command at the state Commerce commission was convicted Monday
of using subordinates to run her private law practice on state time, prosecutors
said.
A
second indictment, charging Devereaux with welfare fraud, was handed up seven
months after the first. Those charges, which allege Devereaux collected food
stamps for which she was not entitled under the name Lesly Harper, are pending.
Spitzer
Keeps Spending Secret
Hundreds
of millions of dollars in possible spending by state leaders is being kept secret,
with Gov. Eliot Spitzer's office refusing to release the information.
Youth
Minister in Jail for Alleged Molestation
Authorities
say 39-year-old James Ward Chapman III was arrested July 14 on suspicion of
one count of molestation of a child and one count of child abuse, both felonies.
Child
Support Clerk Charged with Embezzlement
Cindy
Phillips Truhett was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly stealing more than
$216,000 from January 2002 through April.
Postman
Accused of Artifact Destruction
A
Postal Service driver destroyed American Indian artifacts when he tried to cover
up damage to a package by burning it, according to a federal indictment.
Former
Bank Executive Gets 16 Months for Embezzling
Cynthia
Kay Wright, a former bank vice president from Lexington, was sentenced Friday
and ordered to pay the bank back $182,414.
Former
Chaplin Town Clerk Charged with Stealing Municipal Funds
A
woman who became Connecticut's youngest town clerk when she was elected at age
18 has been charged with stealing up to $10,000 in Chaplin town funds, police
said.
Official
Fined for Law Violation
Deltona
City Commissioner David Santiago has agreed to pay a $100 fine for violating
the state's financial-disclosure law.
Panthers’
Player Arrested
An
offensive lineman for the Carolina Panthers surrendered to authorities Thursday
after an exotic dancer said the athlete pointed a gun at her.
Firefighter
Among Three Arrested for Arson in Grady County
Jeffrey
Whritenour, 18, of Cairo, a volunteer firefighter with the Pine Park Division
of the Grady County Fire Department, was charged with two counts of first-degree
arson, one count of third-degree arson, one count of criminal damage to property
and one count of possession of a destructive device.
Ex-High
School Principal Charged With Sex Crime Cover-Up
A
former high school principal was indicted Wednesday on charges that he failed
to report on-campus sex crimes to protect a star running back who eventually
led his team to a state title.
Qwest
Ex-CEO Slapped with 6 Years
The
former chief executive of Qwest Communications International, Joseph Nacchio,
was sentenced on Friday to six years in prison and ordered to forfeit $52 million
in stock gains from insider trading.
Recalled
Cans Still for Sale in Grocery Stores
Stores
nationwide are continuing to sell recalled canned chili, stew, hash and other
foods potentially contaminated with poisonous bacteria even after repeated warnings
the products could kill.
Big
Dig Company: State Knew Tunnel Glue Was Bad
The
supplier of the glue blamed for a Big Dig tunnel collapse that killed a Boston
woman says it has documents to prove that engineers knew the epoxy was risky
to use, according to the Boston Herald.
Academic
Fraud
But
Ward Churchill's story says as much about the university as it does about the
man. The wonder isn't that Churchill was fired but that he was ever hired in
the first place.
Councilman
Louis Velez is Accused of Abuse of Office
Hawthorne
City Councilman Louis Velez has been indicted by the grand jury for allegedly
abusing his elected position for personal financial gain.
Pastor
Gets 15 Years in Child Sex Abuse Case
The
pastor of a Baltimore County church was sentenced to 15 years in prison this
afternoon in Howard County Circuit Court for sexually abusing a teenage boy
he had been counseling.
$101M
Civil Verdict for Wrongful Convictions in Gangland Murder
A
federal judge, in a scathing rebuke of the FBI, ordered the government to pay
a record $101.7 million for its role in wrongfully sending four men to prison
for a 1965 gangland murder in Chelsea.
Teacher
Accused of Molesting Relative
Woodstock
police arrested Leonard Templeton Lawley Junior on Monday on charges of child
molestation and enticing a child for indecent purposes.
Ex-officer
of SafeNet Indicted in Stock Plot
Carole
D. Argo, a former top executive at Harford County technology company SafeNet
Inc., was indicted yesterday on charges of rigging stock-option grants in a
six-year scheme that netted her and other employees millions of dollars in improper
stock gains and inflated bonuses.
Police
Say Woman Solicited a Bribe
An
employee of an Elgin nonprofit group took a $600 bribe Monday to sign a form
saying an Elgin couple had completed 400 hours of court-ordered community service,
police said.
Young
Faces Federal Scrutiny, Joining Stevens in Probe Spotlight
Rep.
Don Young is facing criminal investigation, a federal law enforcement official
confirmed Wednesday, making Young the second member of Alaska's three-person
congressional delegation under scrutiny.
About
Face
Even
though Kimberly Scott maintained her innocence after her arrest in August for
allegedly stealing drugs from death scenes, the former Benton County coroner
tearfully admitted her guilt Tuesday morning.
Cocaine
Smuggling Case Sends 2 Soldiers to Prison
Two
soldiers caught up in a scheme to smuggle cocaine have been sentenced to federal
prison by a judge in U.S. District Court in Tucson.
Glen
Burnie Teacher Charged In Sex Abuse of Student
Thirty-one-year-old
Thomas Newman, a teacher at South River High School, is charged with sex abuse
of a minor and committing a fourth-degree sex offense.
Ramras
to Drop Cruise Ship Bill
The
Select Committee on Legislative Ethics found that Ramras, a Republican from
Fairbanks and owner of Pike’s Waterfront Lodge, had a conflict of interest
because of his close business relations with the cruise industry, and therefore
shouldn’t have introduced or promoted the bill, which could significantly
benefit the cruise industry.
Former
Upstate Principal Pleads Guilty to Sex with Minor Student
Circuit
Court Judge Edward Miller sentenced Lance Diefenderfer to one year of house
arrest, two years probation and a $3,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to contributing
to the delinquency of a minor.
Former
State Senator Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case
U.S.
Attorney Rod Rosenstein says millions of dollars in state contracts were tainted
by fraud as a result of Thomas Bromwell's actions.
State
Official Faces Bribery Charge in West Houston Tax Case
An
auditor for the Texas Comptroller's Office was arrested and charged with bribery
after he allegedly sought a cash payment from a west Houston business owner
in return for reducing the amount of money the business would have to pay in
sales tax returns.
Christian
Group's President Accused Of Hiring Prostitute
The
Christian Action League has suspended its president following his arrest for
aiding and abetting prostitution.
Lindsay
Lohan Booked On DUI Suspicion, Cocaine Possession
Lindsay
Lohan, who just finished a second stint in rehab for substance abuse treatment,
was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving early Tuesday, authorities said.
Teacher
Facing Sex Charges Resigns
Curtis
Richard Ballard, 52, was arrested two weeks ago in an undercover Internet sting.
Agriculture
Department Sent $1.1 Billion in Payments to Dead Farmers
Congressional
investigators say the Agriculture Department sent more than one billion dollars
in farm payments to more than 170-thousand dead people over a seven-year period.
N.Y.
Governor's Office Compiled, Leaked Data on Political Rival; Top Aide Suspended
Gov.
Eliot Spitzer suspended one of his closest aides and reassigned another after
a report revealed Monday they had plotted to discredit a political rival with
the help of a state police boss.
Vendor
Arrested For "Impeach Him" Buttons
A
74-year-old retired mathematician who sells anti-Bush buttons at a Maryland
farmers' market has become a symbol of free speech to some people.
Washington
Township Mayor Arrested on DWI Charge
Veteran
Washington Township Mayor Rudolph Wenzel Jr. was arrested Thursday on drunken-driving
charges after police smelled alcohol on his breath and found several beer bottles
in the back seat of his car.
Prosecutor
Appeals After Judge Drops Rape Charges Against Liberian Over Lack of Interpreter
The
prosecutor in the case of a Liberian native charged with repeatedly raping and
molesting a 7-year-old girl said Monday that he is filing an appeal of a controversial
judge's ruling that dismissed all charges because an interpreter who spoke the
suspect's rare West African dialect could not be found.
Mom:
Day Care Director Abused Son
A
day care director is the focus of an investigation after an allegation that
she abused a child in her care.
Sweeney's
Wife Claims He Abused Her
Gayle
Sweeney, about to confront former U.S. Rep. John Sweeney in a divorce case,
claims her husband was often verbally abusive and at times physically abused
her during their marriage.
Ex-city
Employee in Frostburg Accused of Embezzling $73,000
Annamarie
Dugan, 37, of Frostburg was charged in a criminal summons with embezzlement,
a theft scheme of more than $500 and theft of more than $500.
Anti-Abortion
Measure Would Define Fertilized Egg As Human
Abortion-rights
groups have until next week to appeal the language of a proposed ballot measure
that would define a fertilized egg, either inside or outside the womb, as a
person.
The
Priest and the Stripper
The
Rev. Mark Sorvillo loved taking his parish's money and spending it on himself.
Trips to Rome, Venice, Paris. And $900 meals at New York restaurants.
Firefighters
Tear Apart Wrong House
The
Braintree Fire Department is investigating how firefighters participating in
a training exercise ended up tearing apart the wrong house.
Romney
Aide’s Bogus Badges: Sources Detail ‘Illegal’ Security Tactic
In
an apparent violation of the law, a controversial aide to ex-Gov. Mitt Romney
created phony law enforcement badges that he and other staffers used on the
campaign trail to strong-arm reporters, avoid paying tolls and trick security
guards into giving them immediate access to campaign venues, sources told the
Herald.
Contractors
Fume Over Slow FEMA Checks
One
company claims it is owed about $150 million, and some contractors have walked
off the job or gone to court to get the money they say they should have been
paid for demolition and debris removal completed as much as a year and a half
ago.
Former
Randolph PTO Leader Accused of Theft
The
former treasurer and copresident of a Randolph elementary school's Parent Teacher
Organization was charged yesterday with stealing nearly $10,000 from the group
between October 2006 and March of this year.
Firm
Accused of Minority Front in Schools' Landscaping Pact
A
landscaping firm owned by a white man defrauded the Chicago Public Schools by
using a minority-owned firm as a front on a $1.5 million contract meant for
minority businesses, federal prosecutors alleged Thursday.
FBI
Investigating NBA Ref
The
FBI is investigating allegations that a veteran NBA referee bet on basketball
games over the past two seasons, including ones in which he officiated.
Treasurer
Paid Herself Too Much
A
western Indiana municipality's treasurer was arrested Thursday on suspicion
of paying herself nearly $11,000 more than she was supposed to make in 2004.
Georgia
Mistaken Identity Case Leads to Jail Time
A
Georgia man spent 20 hours in jail this week after he was mistaken for a wanted
man with whom he shares the same name and birthday.
Cop
Complaint List Released -- Names Hidden
Two
days before a key City Council vote on the way claims of Chicago Police misconduct
are investigated, the Daley administration quietly provided aldermen Tuesday
with a controversial list of 662 officers with 10 or more complaints against
them over the past five years.
But there was a catch: the names on the list -- which the administration has
been fighting in federal court to keep secret -- were blacked out.
Mishandled
Funds Cost SCC $183,595, Officials Say
At
its regular meeting Wednesday, the county board of supervisors voted to transfer
about $183,595 from the general fund to replace misspent grant money awarded
by the state and federal governments.
Tax
Commission Cashier Arrested
A
cashier at the Oklahoma Tax Commission is free on bail after being arrested
for embezzlement.
Coroner
Quits With Drug Trial Ready to Begin
Benton
County Coroner Kimberly Scott, who authorities say stole prescription drugs
from the homes of dead people, resigned Tuesday as part of a plea agreement
in her criminal case.
University
President Fired After Alleged Rape Cover-up
The
president of Eastern Michigan University was fired months after top university
officials were accused of covering up the rape and slaying of a student by publicly
ruling out foul play.
What's
In Your Wallet?
What's
a paltry one million dollars to a member of Congress?
Well,
apparently not enough to know if an organization about to receive that big block
of cash actually exists.
Romney's
Presidential Campaign Shows Proficiency in Spending as Well as Fundraising
Based
on the report Romney filed with the Federal Election Commission over the weekend,
his spending was so prolific he had to lend his committee $6.5 million during
the quarter, allowing him to cover the difference between $20.5 million he spent
and the $14 million he raised.
Pastor
Accused Of Investment Fraud
Greenville
County deputies arrested a church pastor on Thursday who they say scammed a
woman out of $10,000.
Pilot
Accused Of Stealing Passenger's iPod
Police
said Christopher Newton was spotted on camera on Thursday taking an iPod out
of someone else's container while going through a security checkpoint.
Fort
Bragg Soldier Charged With Spreading HIV
Private
First Class Johnny Lamar Dalton was charged last week by civilian authorities
in Cumberland County with assault with a deadly weapon, misdemeanor assault
and committing a crime against nature. He is being held under a $50,000 bond
and faces the same charges from the military.
Couple
May Lose Home Over $1.63 Tax Bill
A
$1.63 property tax bill that never reached its destination in 1996 has turned
into a nightmare for Kermit and Dolores Atwood, who are now trying to keep from
losing their home over the unpaid notice.
10
Indicted in Alleged Degree Sale Scheme
Those
indicted include Touro College's former director of admissions, the former director
of the school's computer center, three former Touro students and three public
school teachers, Manhattan prosecutors said.
Dr.
Arrested In Katrina Hospital Deaths Sues Attorney General
Dr.
Anna Pou - the physician arrested in the deaths of four patients at a New Orleans
hospital after Hurricane Katrina - filed suit against the Louisiana Attorney
General on Monday, accusing him of using her arrest to fuel his re-election
bid.
Gov
Primps, Taxpayers Coif up $600
Gov.
Blagojevich paid a Crystal Lake makeup artist $600 to primp him before his annual
budget address in March, and taxpayers unwittingly footed the bill, a Lee Enterprises
newspapers report says.
UCF
Professor Charged With 138 Counts Of Child Pornography
A
University of Central Florida professor was arrested Monday on 138 counts of
possession of material depicting sexual performance by a child.
Embattled
Supervisor Jew Pleads Not Guilty
San
Francisco Supervisor Ed Jew pleaded not guilty Monday to nine felony counts
charging him with lying about living within the city when he ran for office
and won election last year.
Pension
‘Double Dip’ Costs County
Two
top elected county office holders are drawing county pensions on top of their
county salaries, pushing their yearly take-home pay to more than $300,000 each.
Illegal
Immigrants Get Aid To Go To College
At
least 10 undocumented students from Colorado will get to attend classes at the
University of New Mexico this fall, with many not having to pay for tuition
or books.
Lawmaker
is Convicted of Domestic Assault
State
Rep. Mark Olson was convicted Friday of one count of misdemeanor domestic assault
with the intent cause fear and acquitted on a second misdemeanor assault charge.
City
Official, Husband Face Charges For 'Exorcism' On Daughter
Debra
and Daniel Rogers had complaint affidavits for misdemeanor battery and felony
false imprisonment filed against them with the state attorney's office on Thursday.
They have not been arrested.
Dolphins
Player Arrested in Charlotte
Miami
Dolphins wide receiver Chris Chambers was arrested in Charlotte early Saturday
morning, charged with driving while impaired, reckless driving and speeding.
Florida
Man Owes $10,000 for Child Who's Not His
Francisco
Rodriguez owes more than $10,000 in back child support payments in a paternity
case involving a 15-year-old girl who, according to DNA results and the girl's
mother, is not his daughter.
Costcutting
Move to Prosecute Teens as Adults Might Not Save Much
When
state legislators passed a law last month requiring that 17-year-olds be tried
as adults, they hoped the reduced cost of providing for adult prisoners rather
than juveniles would save the state about $3.6 million.
Former
Newark Mayor Sharpe James Indicted
A
federal grand jury indicted former Newark Mayor Sharpe James on corruption charges
Thursday, accusing him of fraud in the sale of city-owned land and using city
credit cards to spend extravagantly on him and several women.
Dance
Teacher Gave Drugs To, Had Sex With Underage Girls
George
Fagan, 38, the owner of Giorgio's American Dance Center in Lake Mary, was charged
with sexual assault and sexual battery on at least seven minors.
Sect
Leader Indicted on Sexual Conduct with Minor, Incest Charges
Polygamist
sect leader Warren Steed Jeffs, who is awaiting trial in southern Utah, was
charged with eight additional felony counts from Arizona in two separate cases,
authorities said Thursday.
Nurse's
Aide Arrested in Rape
A
nurse's aide was arrested Wednesday for allegedly raping an 85-year-old woman
in his care, and investigators say they're concerned there may be other victims
in the valley.
Bogus
Company Gets Nuke License
Congressional
investigators set up a bogus company with only a postal box and within a month
obtained a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that allowed them
to buy enough radioactive material for a small "dirty bomb."
Relatives
Bilk Woman of $1.3 Million
Charlotte
Denny, 70, of Jefferson City, Tenn., and her 47-year-old daughter, Candace Bradley
of Holley in western New York, are accused of bilking Denny's aunt during a
seven-month period, from October 2005 to May 2006.
State
Representative Arrested In Park On Solicitation Charges
State
Representative Bob Allen was arrested Wednesday for allegedly soliciting an
undercover officer.
Coach
Accused Of Soliciting Minors
Investigators
said Yolando "Pacman" Ferguson was arrested on charges of soliciting
minors, who, they say, were to be used to make child pornography.
Woman
Accused Of Looting Cheerleading Money
Springettsbury
Township police have filed charges against Karen Miller, of York. She is charged
with two counts of theft by deception, 10 counts of unlawful taking or disposition
and 10 counts of receiving stolen property.
New
Orleans Madam Names Senator
New
allegations tie Sen. David Vitter to a high-priced brothel in his hometown,
one day after he publicly apologized for his connection to an alleged prostitution
ring in Washington, D.C.
Former
Ore. Lawmaker Yet to Pay Penny of Civil Penalty
The
state is increasing efforts to collect money owed by Dan Doyle, the disgraced
former state representative.
Reporter
Caught on Video With Source
A
reporter was caught on video in a swimsuit at the home of a man whose wife disappeared
two months ago - a story she was assigned to cover - raising ethical questions
about her conduct.
Molestation,
Porn Conviction Gets Former Berkeley Firefighter 63 Years in Prison
Former
Berkeley firefighter Luis Ponce was sentenced to 63 years to life in state prison
Monday following a recent conviction on 16 felony counts of molesting -- and
videotaping -- two young girls at his home in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Judge
Orders 4 Trials for Busta Rhymes
Busta
Rhymes, accused of attacking two men, driving drunk and driving with a suspended
license, has rejected a plea deal and is facing four separate trials.
Stevens
Fears Impact of Current Probe
Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator and once the chief power
broker for dispensing federal dollars, says he's worried that a corruption investigation
"could cause me some trouble" in running for re-election next year.
Rep.
Olson To Use 'Battered Husband' Defense
Olson
was charged Nov. 14 following an argument with his wife at their home. He is
accused of pushing her to the ground several times.
Secret
Deals Enrich Jones Stepson's Firm
A
technology company owned by Illinois Senate President Emil Jones' stepson has
landed more taxpayer-funded business -- a fact that has gone largely unnoticed
because the firm's latest deals are buried in the fine print of state contracting
documents.
Trustee's
Staff to Get Bonuses in Pa. Health Foundation's Bankruptcy
One
of the employees, who was not identified in court papers, will get a bonus despite
working only about one hour per week from 2001 to this year, the creditors said.
Fees
Paid to Probate Lawyers Unreported
More
than a dozen years after the Texas Supreme Court demanded the disclosure of
fees ordered paid by probate judges to court-appointed attorneys, the corruption-fighting
measure has been ignored by some of the state's biggest counties, a Houston
Chronicle investigation has found.
Bizarre
Laws in the News Slideshow
Shoddy
Repairs Raise Homeowners' Concern
For
roughly a decade, three men running home improvement and financing companies
allegedly defrauded dozens of North Jersey homeowners who could least afford
the financial hardship.
Woman
Found Covered in Feces, Son Charged
A
man was charged with elderly abuse after his mother was found covered in red
ants and feces in a trailer with no electricity, authorities said Friday.
Sherrill
“Bubba” Smith, 49, who shared the trailer with his mother, was charged
with elderly abuse, authorities said.
Scientist
Tests Husband's Underwear For DNA
Michigan
State Police want to determine if Ann Chamberlain-Gordon violated policies banning
the use of state equipment for personal reasons.
Senate
President Doesn't Get Jail Time for DUI
The
long-serving Democratic lawmaker pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated
and was sentenced in Dakota County District Court. He must pay a $300 fine,
plus $77 in surcharges, and perform 20 hours of yet-to-be-determined community
service. He also got a year of probation, but no jail time.
His
hearing before Judge John Weyrens lasted about five minutes. Metzen was arrested
in the early morning on May 22 after an officer saw him weaving in his lane.
Police measured his blood-alcohol concentration at 0.15 percent, almost twice
the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
Firefighter
Charged in Triple Slaying
A
firefighter accused of fatally shooting three people over a loud Fourth of July
party at his neighbor's house was charged with aggravated murder on Friday.
Police
recovered 12 guns, including the handgun investigators said was used in the
shootings, from Terrance Hough Jr.'s home.
Tigers'
Perez Suspended 25 Games for Using Banned Substance
The
Tigers lost backup infielder Neifi Perez for 25 games Friday when Major League
Baseball suspended him for testing positive for a banned stimulant.
Naval
Academy Doctor Faces Full Court-Martial
The
military has referred a Navy doctor to a general court martial for allegedly
using a hidden camera in his home to videotape Naval Academy midshipmen having
sex with their girlfriends.
Doolittle
Linked to Two Bribery Scandals
Rep.
John Doolittle's associations with some notorious scoundrels have him uniquely
tied to both congressional bribery scandals that have sent other Republican
lawmakers to jail.
Justice
Department investigators are focusing on the California Republican's dealings
with jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff, including $5,000 monthly checks from Abramoff
to Doolittle's wife.
U.S.
Unable to Deport Most Illegal Immigrants Who Commit Crimes
Fewer
than half the foreigners convicted of crimes in the U.S. -- most of whom are
in the country illegally -- are deported after serving their sentences, according
to the Homeland Security Department's inspector general.
Woman
Sentenced For Having Sex With Boys
Zicafoose
was charged with having sex with one teen on several occasions in 2004, when
he was 14 and 15. She is also alleged to have had sex with the other teenager
and engaged in sex acts with him and her husband at the same time, according
to court documents.
Youth
Minister Charged with Molestation
Thiago
Fernandes, 24, was working as a church youth minister at La Igreja La Goiha,
a Brazilian congregation.
Zoo
Chief to Apologize, Will Lose Month's Pay
Ron
Kagan, the longtime director of the Detroit Zoo who came under fire last week
for lying on his resume, will retain his $200,000-a-year job but lose one month's
pay, get a letter of reprimand in his personnel file and be ordered to make
a public apology, the chairman of the Detroit Zoological Society announced Monday.
Mayor’s
Girlfriend is Placed on Leave
Telemundo
executives have come under intense pressure to discipline Salinas after she
and Villaraigosa acknowledged this week they had been involved in a relationship
dating back more than a year. The mayor separated from Corina Villaraigosa,
his wife of 20 years, early last month.
St.
Cloud Deputy Mayor Arrested on DUI Charge
St.
Cloud Deputy Mayor Mike Wetzel was arrested Wednesday night on one count of
DUI, his second such arrest in less than two years.
Ex-Minuteman
Leaders Form New Group
The
Minuteman leaders, including Mr. Wright, were fired after asking for a meeting
with Mr. Simcox to discuss a lack of financial accountability. The purge was
ordered by Mr. Simcox, who came under criticism last year over similar questions
involving how much money MCDC had raised and where it had gone.
Officials:
Questionable Payments Made To Former NCRC Executive
The
D.C. office of the inspector general has confirmed that it is investigating
questionable payments of thousands of dollars to a former executive officer
of the National Capital Revitalization Corporation ...
Postal
Worker Steals Thousands Of DVDs
Netflix
last year notified the U.S. Postal Service about an unusually high number of
DVDs missing from a certain post office box.
Investigators
said Zuniga was stationed at that center. Prosecutors said surveillance showed
Zuniga stealing 122 DVDs from the post office.
Bush:
'Sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive'
President
Bush spared former White House aide Lewis ''Scooter'' Libby from a 2 1/2-year
prison term in the CIA leak investigation Monday, delivering a political thunderbolt.
Bush said the sentence was just too harsh.
6th-Grade
Teacher Gets 10 Years in Prison for Sex With 13-Year-Old Boy
Rachel
L. Holt, 35, had pleaded guilty to second-degree rape. She sobbed in court Friday
as Superior Court Judge Calvin L. Scott gave her the mandatory minimum sentence.
Priest
Sentenced to 5 Years Prison for Sex Abuse
A
Roman Catholic Chicago priest accused of fondling young boys pleaded guilty
Monday to five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and was immediately
sentenced to serve five years in prison.
Anguished
Tales of Property Taken by State
Years
ago, Carla Ruff stored her grandmother's jewelry and a file of personal documents
in a safe-deposit box at her bank in San Francisco's Noe Valley, thinking they
would always be there when she wanted them.
Not
so. Without giving her notice or acting on evidence that she'd forgotten about
her cache, the bank's staff, under the auspice of the state, determined the
contents of her box to be unclaimed property.
Oregon
Lawmaker Agrees to $300 Fine for Failing to Report Expenses
State
Rep. Dennis Richardson, R-Central Point, has agreed to pay a $300 fine for failing
to report repayment for expenses he received for attending conferences.
Nebraska
Archdiocese Sues Nun Accused of Stealing Church Funds
In
April the archdiocese sued Sister Barbara Markey in an effort to recover $820,000
the archdiocese says she stole as director of the archdiocese's Catholic Family
Life Office.
Former
Schnitzer Executive Pays Fees to Settle Bribery Charges
The
SEC charged Si Chan Wooh of Tacoma, Wash., the former executive vice president
and head of a Schnitzer subsidiary, with violating anti-bribery provisions.
Ex-Ala.
Governor, CEO Sentenced for Bribery
Former
Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman was sentenced to more than seven years in federal
prison and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy got nearly seven years Thursday
in a bribery and corruption case that the judge said damaged public trust in
state government.
Report:
Chicago Priest to Take Plea Deal
Sources
told WBBM-TV in Chicago Saturday the Rev. Daniel McCormack has agreed to plead
guilty to five counts of criminal sexual abuse and serve five years in prison.
Businesswoman
Charged With Fraud
A
co-owner and founder of a Washington County
store designed to serve the needs of the area's growing Hispanic
community has been arrested by federal agents on charges of
fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents.
Former
New Orleans School Official Admits Taking Bribes
Ellenese
Brooks-Simms, 67, pleaded guilty recently to a federal charge of conspiracy
to commit bribery after investigators alleged she accepted $140,000 to support
the purchase of the multimillion-dollar I Can Learn computer lab math program.
Awana’s
Busy Political Career Skids to a Halt
Awana
is caught up in two federal investigations, one in which he was the target of
a blackmail attempt, and the other a Saipan bribery probe. Awana has not been
accused or charged with any crime.
Value
of Perdue's Florida Land Skyrockets
About
a year after the purchase, one of Thomas' companies, Fourth Quarter Properties,
donated a whopping $250,000 to the state Republican Party.
But
the purchase led to even more allegations of wrongdoing last year when it was
revealed that in April 2005 Perdue signed a sweeping tax package into law that
allowed him to avoid paying $100,000 in taxes on the sale of that family land.
Disgruntled
Residents Start Rocky Delgadillo Recall
Delgadillo
admitted last week that he allowed his wife, who had a suspended license, to
drive his city-owned SUV. She damaged the vehicle in 2004 and Delgadillo had
it fixed at city expense and only reimbursed the city $1,222 for the repairs
last week after questioned by reporters.
Congress
May Squeeze Libya on Settlement Over Pan Am Flight 103
As
part of a 2003 settlement, Libya accepted responsibility for the bombing and
committed to pay compensation to victims families. Under the deal, each victim’s
family would get $10 million.
Libya
was to make the final $2 million payment to each family once it was removed
from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. Libya was removed from that
list last year, but it has yet to make the final payment to the families.
2
Years After Fraud Acquittal, Scrushy Sent to Prison
The
former HealthSouth Corp. chief executive - cleared in a landmark corporate fraud
trial in Birmingham but convicted on unrelated federal bribery charges in Montgomery
- was sentenced Thursday night to nearly seven years in prison.
County
Abuses Abused Children
A
civil grand jury on Friday blasted county departments for failing to fund an
abuse-prevention program and share crucial information on children in county
custody even as the number of slayings of abused children more than tripled.
Three
Execs Indicted for Withholding Fortune in Payroll Taxes
A
federal grand jury has handed up a 45-count indictment charging three executives
with keeping $4.6 million in payroll taxes.
Forums
Charges
Changed to Indictments for Former Lawmaker
Court
appearances are set in two counties for a former state lawmaker who is charged
with rape and other offenses against two girls who were in foster care at his
home.
Go
to forums
Oregon
Forest Service Worker Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $640,000
A
U.S. Forest Service worker pleaded guilty Wednesday to embezzling more than
$640,000 from the federal agency, most of it from the firefighting budget.
Scandal
forums
Judge
Sentences Doctor to 7 Years
A
Jacksonville children's doctor was sentenced to more than seven years in prison
Tuesday after pleading guilty to taking indecent liberties with minors.
Forums
Former
#2 at Interior Gets 10 Months in Prison
Former
Deputy Interior Secretary James Steven Griles - who pleaded guilty in March
to a single felony charge of obstructing justice by lying to a Senate committee
about his relationship with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff - was sentenced
Tuesday in U.S. District Court to 10 months in prison and a fine of $30,000.00.
Enter
forums
Brokers
Charged in Counterfeit Scheme
Private
brokers licensed by the government to clear commercial imports participated
in a scheme to flood the U.S. market with fake Nike sneakers, Rolex watches
and other Chinese-made counterfeit products ...
Discuss
Ore.
Bank Manager Planned to Fake Death, Take Customer’s ID
The
manager of a KeyBank branch in Springfield planned to fake his own death and
“re-emerge” as one of the bank’s customers ...
Forums
Bears
Cut Tank Johnson Amid New Trouble
Tank
Johnson was released Monday by the Chicago Bears, who are “embarrassed”
by the defensive tackle’s legal troubles and say he “compromised
the credibility” of the team.
Enter
forums
Pretrial
Delayed for Ex-commissioner Accused of Fondling Woman
Gardner
had prior run-ins with the law, including two drunken-driving charges and a
disorderly-conduct conviction for roughing up a 9-year-old boy.
Discuss
Ex-School
Board President Pleads Guilty
A
former school board official who ran as a corruption fighter pleaded guilty
Wednesday in federal court.
Go
to forums
Cops:
Fire Crew Used Hydrant for Pool
Police
spotted a fire crew hooking their hose into a hydrant and filling a private
swimming pool with water ...
Forums
Hey,
ex-Ald. Troutman: Where's the $80K?
The
alderman who took over indicted former Ald. Arenda Troutman's landmarks committee
accused her Wednesday of mysteriously draining the panel's budget before she
left office in May.
Discuss
P'ville
BOE Chief Charged in Gun Threat
Pressley,
22, was arrested Tuesday morning in Atlantic City, after John Bunch told police
Pressley threatened him with a gun in the Back Maryland section of the city.
Scandal
forums
Suffolk
Minister Charged With Assaulting His Secretary
In
a complaint, the secretary says the Rev. Carlton R. Upton Sr., pastor of Tabernacle
Christian Church at 2500 E. Washington St., grabbed her by the neck in her office
and threw her on a desk after scolding her in a church meeting.
Discuss
I'm
Sorry
After
ducking questions for more than a week, City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo admitted
Monday that his wife was behind the wheel of his city-assigned SUV and driving
with a suspended license when she damaged it in an accident three years ago.
Forums
Cops
Investigate Substitute Teacher Allegedly Having Sex With Daughter's Boyfriend
A
female substitute teacher who taught in a Wisconsin school district has been
fired and is under investigation for an alleged sexual relationship with her
daughter's 13-year-old boyfriend ...
Forums
S.C.
Treasurer Indicted on Drug Charges
South
Carolina Treasurer Thomas Ravenel, a former real estate developer who became
a rising political star after his election last year, was indicted Tuesday on
federal cocaine charges.
Discuss
Justice
Department Eyes Sen. Ted Stevens' Home Remodeling Project
Federal
prosecutors in Washington are scrutinizing Sen. Ted Stevens' home remodeling
project as part of a spinoff of an Alaska corruption investigation that has
led to charges against lawmakers and contractors.
Discuss
LA
Clergy Abuse Trials Loom
After
years of legal wrangling, the nation's largest Roman Catholic archdiocese may
finally move to settle hundreds of clergy sex abuse claims against it following
several legal setbacks and the prospect of jury trials in the months ahead.
Discuss
State
Kept Quiet on Cancer in 35 Miners
The
Minnesota Health Department suppressed research about additional deadly cancers
among Iron Range miners for a year, even though a top government scientist warned
that the findings raised significant new health issues.
Discuss
Priest's
Plea Deal: 4 Years for Stealing Nearly $200K
Sorvillo,
a Catholic priest, plans to plead guilty next month to stealing nearly $200,000
from St. Margaret Mary Church, the West Rogers Park parish where he was pastor
for nearly 12 years.
Forums
Troutman
Indicted on Bribery Count
Troutman
is accused of accepting a $5,000 cash bribe and another $5,000 check to a fund
benefitting her in exchange for greasing a development while she was in office.
Discuss
Conn.
Teacher Accused of Taking Payoffs
A
public school teacher has been suspended with pay while Hartford school officials
investigate allegations that she took cash to excuse students from detention.
Go
to forums
A
Look at Abuse in Protestant Churches
A
look at reports of sex abuse of minors from three companies that together insure
the majority of U.S. Protestant churches.
Discuss
Unwanted
$10 Million Florida Road May Lead to Alaska Congressman
An
unexpected $10 million congressional earmark might seem like money from heaven
for a fast-growing county needing billions for transportation improvements,
but that's not the case with Coconut Road.
Forums
SC
Legislator Pleads No Contest, Fined for Making Threats
A
South Carolina lawmaker pleaded no contest Thursday to accusations he threatened
to beat and sexually assault a man dating his estranged wife.
Enter
forums
Firefighter
Charged With Setting Fire at Amish Schoolhouse
An
18-year-old firefighter was charged with setting a weekend fire that damaged
a one-room Amish schoolhouse in Lancaster County - a blaze he claimed to have
discovered by driving past it at 3 a.m.
Forums
32,000
Iraq Police 'Lost,' More on Payroll
And
as many as 12,000 police not on the job are drawing salaries anyway, said U.S.
Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey, who has just returned from more than two years
in Iraq overseeing the development of Iraqi security forces.
Discuss
911
Tapes Show Operators Did Little to Get Help for Woman Dying on LA Hospital Floor
A
woman who lay bleeding on the emergency room floor of a troubled inner-city
hospital died after 911 dispatchers refused to contact paramedics or an ambulance
to take her to another facility ...
Discuss
Navy
Doctor Allegedly Taped Students Having Sex
The
military has charged a former Naval Academy doctor who hosted midshipmen at
his home with secretly videotaping the students having sex ...
Discuss
Pastor
Charged With Bomb Threat
Wood,
42, faces felony disorderly conduct charges for calling in a bogus bomb threat
against Colom's campaign headquarters on March 25 ...
Discuss
Former
UN Procurement Official Convicted of Bribery
A
former United Nations official was convicted Thursday of helping a friend secure
$100 million in U.N. contracts in exchange for a huge discount on two luxury
Manhattan apartments and cash.
Discuss
Freebery
Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charge
Former
New Castle County chief administrator Sherry Freebery pleaded guilty in federal
court Wednesday to making a false statement on a loan application.
Discuss
Fire
Commander Faces 2 Years in Prison for Arson
The
former commander of an elite wildlands firefighting team who admitted setting
two forest fires in June 2004 was sentenced to two years in federal prison Monday.
Discuss
Ex-HISD
Secretary Indicted on Theft Charge
A
former Houston ISD senior secretary was indicted today on a charge accusing
her of stealing more than $148,000 from the school district.
Discuss
Former
Rep. Jennings Loses Appeal of Fraud Conviction
Jennings,
55, of Harris, was found guilty in July 2005 of two counts of mail fraud and
one count of money laundering.
Discuss
House
Leaders Call for Kohring to Step Down
State
House leaders have joined growing calls for state Rep. Vic Kohring to resign.
Discuss
School
Officials Charged With Corruption
The
superintendent of a Rio Grande Valley school district, several school board
members and others face charges alleging they accepted more than $600,000 in
bribes to steer contracts to certain businesses ...
Forums
Paris
Hilton Released From Jail
Paris
Hilton was released from a Los Angeles County jail early Thursday because of
an unspecified medical problem and will fulfill the reminder of her sentence
in home confinement ...
Forums
Probation
for Mayor in Corruption Case
Joseph
Santopietro, 48, was among 29 people charged in connection with a federal investigation
of mob influence over the trash-hauling industry in Connecticut and New York.
Discuss
PG
School Board Member Indicted
Nathaniel
Thomas, 26, is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student
he once taught and has been charged with a third-degree sex offense.
Discuss
'Criminal
Minds' Actor Suspected Of DUI
Actor
Shemar Moore is slated for a court appearance later this month after being booked
for investigation of driving under the influence.
Discuss
Ex-Mayor
Pleads No Contest to Child Sex
Philip
Giordano entered pleas to four counts of first-degree sexual assault and four
counts of conspiracy to commit sexual assault, charges based on allegations
that he paid a crack-addicted prostitute to bring her 8-year-old daughter and
10-year-old niece to him for oral sex.
Discuss
Congressman
Indicted in Bribery Investigation
Rep.
William Jefferson, D-La., was indicted Monday on federal charges of racketeering,
money-laundering and soliciting more than $400,000 in bribes in connection with
years of trying to broker business deals in Africa.
Discuss
Broward
Teacher May Lose His Job Over Temper
A
Coconut Creek High band teacher may be suspended without pay Tuesday after he
admitted that he slammed the cover of piano keys down on one of his student's
fingers, punched other students in the stomach to teach them a breathing technique
and often swore at students ...
Discuss
Dems
Hide Pet Projects From Voters
After
promising sunshine, clouds appear to be moving in as House Democrats draw up
next year's spending plans under orders from the top to keep pet projects out
until the last minute.
Discuss
Woman
Gets Probation, Jail In PTA Theft
A
Johnson County judge sentenced a woman Friday to 12 months probation and 30
days in jail for stealing money from the Bluejacket-Flint Elementary School
PTA ...
Go
to forums
State
Senator Arrested In Mob Threat Plot
Senate
Minority Leader Louis DeLuca was arrested Friday on charges that he asked a
businessman at the center of a federal racketeering probe to threaten someone
the senator believed had abused a relative.
Forums
Springfield
Jackpot
But
tie the politically unpalatable plan to a funding bill that also provided money
to the families of deceased soldiers, police officers or firefighters, and the
$1.4 million in pay raises are on a fast track to the governor to approve.
Discuss
U.S.
Gives Oil Companies Deal Compared to Other Countries
When
it comes to taking oil and natural gas from government land and waters, the
oil companies are getting a good deal, says a congressional report.
Discuss
3
Homes for Disabled Kids Suspended
State
regulators suspended the licenses of three Miami-Dade group homes for developmentally
disabled children on Friday, claiming that caregivers over-medicated children
until they drooled and trembled, let them go hungry, and paid so little attention
that the children beat and raped each other.
Forums
Cheney
Attorney Asked for Data to be Destroyed
A
lawyer for Vice President Dick Cheney told the Secret Service in September to
eliminate data on who visited Cheney at his official residence, a newly disclosed
letter states.
Discuss
School
Employee Accused of Taking $300,000
A
Scottsdale Unified School District employee is accused of stealing more than
$300,000 from the district's insurance fund.
Discuss
Agent
at Border, Aware, Let In Man With TB
Department
of Homeland Security officials said he re-entered the country from Canada when
a customs agent let him pass despite knowing that the man was being sought by
health authorities.
Discuss
Teacher
Charged in Student Sex Case
Among
the pieces of evidence cited in the case against Joseph A. Tucker, 28, are a
letter describing sex acts, more than 20 text messages taken from the female
student's phone and pictures of the two together ...
Discuss
3
Indicted in Texas School Bribery Case
Prosecutors
allege William Frederick Coleman III, the district's former deputy superintendent
and chief operating officer, and former chief technology officer Ruben B. Bohuchot
took kickbacks and helped Micro Systems Engineering Inc. of Houston win the
contracts.
Discuss
Former
Enron Traders Get Probation For Energy Scams
Two
of three former Enron Corp. traders accused of driving up energy prices during
California's power crisis were each sentenced Wednesday to two years of court-supervised
release in federal court.
Discuss
Alderman
Charged With Bribing, Extorting Business Owners
Federal
charges of extortion and bribery were issued Tuesday against Alderman Michael
McGee Jr., the latest in a string of legal problems for the embattled Milwaukee
official who recently withstood a recall attempt.
Discuss
Ex-Sailor,
Husband Face Marriage Fraud Charges
A
federal indictment filed Thursday says the couple married in 2004 for the sole
purpose of enabling her Russian-born husband to become a U.S. citizen.
Discuss
That
Grouper on the Menu? Turns Out It Was a Fish Tale
Kenny
Gamble, Dockside Dave’s manager and chef, has often heard the question
since a Florida attorney general’s investigation revealed this year that
17 of 24 other restaurants in and around Tampa Bay were passing off cheaper
imported fish - tilapia, bream, hake, sutchi, emperor, green weakfish, painted
sweetlips - as grouper.
Discuss
Ex-Wal-Mart
Executive Blows the Whistle
Wal-Mart
chief executive Lee Scott violated the company’s ethics policy and accepted
trips and received discounts on yachts and jewelry from a vendor ...
Discuss
Actress
Lindsay Lohan Arrested on Suspicion of DUI After Her Mercedes Hits Beverly Hills
Curb
Lindsay
Lohan was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Saturday after
her convertible struck a curb, and investigators found what they believe is
cocaine at the scene ...
Discuss
in forums
Texas
Legislature Ignites With Push to Oust Craddick
The
Texas House fell into chaos Friday night as its parliamentarians resigned and
Speaker Tom Craddick brought the chamber to a standstill for 2 1/2 hours, saying
he does not have to recognize a member for a motion to throw him out of office.
Discuss
in forums
Georgia
Congressman Accused of Paying $500G to Family From Campaign Funds
U.S.
Rep. David Scott has used his campaign account to pay more than $500,000 to
four family members and his family's business ...
Discuss
Lawmakers
Use Your Money, PSAs As Campaign Tool
Lawmakers
call them public service announcements, but some questions whether they aren't
more about self-service.
Discuss
Special
Inspector General to Audit Blackwater's Iraq Contracts
The
Moyock, N.C.-based military contractor has been targeted for a comprehensive
review of its lucrative Iraq security contracts by Stuart Bowen, the congressionally
appointed special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.
Discuss
Credit
Suisse Banker Accused of Insider Trading
According
to a criminal complaint, Hafiz Muhammad Zubair Naseem, a member of Credit Suisse's
Global Energy Group in New York, has been charged with conspiracy and 25 counts
of securities fraud.
Discuss
State
Aide to Vets Quits
One
of Illinois' most prominent military advocates has resigned his state job amid
revelations he once did jail time, lied about a call to active duty and sought
a $50,000 loan from the family of a slain Marine.
Discuss
Grand
Jury Investigating Tax-fraud Allegations
Formal
charges have already been filed against Michelle Cawthra, a state tax supervisor,
and Hysear Don Randell, an entertainment promoter ...
Discuss
Doctors
Accused of Insurance Fraud
The
Minnesota Department of Commerce is investigating chiropractor Jay Y. Cherner
and Dr. Raisa Gringauz for double billing, excessive treatment, improper billing
and services not rendered ...
Discuss
Sen.
Metzen is Arrested on Suspicion of DWI
Just
hours after a gathering at a Capitol haunt to celebrate the end of the legislative
session, state Sen. James Metzen, DFL-South St. Paul, was arrested early Tuesday
on suspicion of drunken driving near his home.
Discuss
Former
Coke Secretary to be Sentenced in Trade Secrets Case
A
former Coca-Cola secretary's claim of innocence during her trial could weigh
against her when she is sentenced Wednesday for conspiring to steal trade secrets
from the world's largest beverage maker.
Discuss
CHP
Investigating Crash Involving State Senator
What
initially appeared to be a minor traffic accident involving California State
Senator Carole Migden is now part of a broader investigation by the highway
patrol.
Discuss
in forums
Prince
William School Employees Accused Of Embezzlement
A
couple of Prince William County, Va., middle school employees are facing embezzlement
charges.
Discuss
Ahold
Official Sentenced for Fraud
The
former chief marketing officer of U.S. Foodservice Inc., a Columbia, Md., subsidiary
of supermarket giant Royal Ahold NV, was sentenced to seven years in prison
yesterday for his role in a widespread securities fraud.
Discuss
Bond
Revoked After Priest Travels To New Mexico
The
judge ruled that Reverend Rodney Rodis violated terms of the $25,000 bond last
month when he traveled to New Mexico to visit a child who had been living with
him before his legal troubles.
Discuss
FBI
Arrests Nine Conroe Residents Accused of Loan Scam
The
defendants are accused of securing refinance loans for unqualified buyers of
mobile homes and lots sold by Emerson Manufactured Homes.
Discuss
in forums
Ex-charity
Official Gets 20-Month Term
David
Schlotzhauer also was ordered Thursday to pay $128,144 in restitution to People
to People International.
Discuss
Landis
Camp Accused of Blackmailing Fellow Cycling Champ
The
Floyd Landis hearing took a chaotic twist Thursday when fellow American Tour
de France champion Greg LeMond revealed he had been sexually abused as a child
and claimed the Landis camp tried to use it as blackmail to keep LeMond from
testifying.
Discuss
NOAA
Wasted Millions
The
federal government is spending millions of dollars on a publicity campaign while
its hurricane forecasters are struggling with budget cuts, the National Hurricane
Center's director said Thursday.
Discuss
Feds
Raid Popular Gun Store
Federal
agents raided Elliot's Gun Shop Wednesday morning and arrested its owner and
two employees for misusing law enforcement information to get weapons at a discount.
Discuss
Former
Wilton Mayor Pleads Guilty to Drug Charge
He
was charged with distributing and manufacturing about 100 marijuana plants between
January 2003 and September 2006.
Forums
Former
'Married With Children' Star 'Bud Bundy' Arrested in New Smyrna Beach
The
man who once played Bud Bundy on TV's 'Married... With Children' has been arrested
on charges of marijuana possession and disorderly intoxication.
Discuss
VA
Bonus Winners Sat on Review Boards
Nearly
two dozen officials who received hefty performance bonuses last year at the
Veterans Affairs Department also sat on the boards charged with recommending
the payments.
Discuss
Dotcom
Executive Pleads Guilty In Options Back-Dating Case
A
former top executive of the company that runs the Monster job search Web site
admitted in court Thursday that he illegally backdated millions of dollars in
employee stock option grants — a practice that cheats shareholders.
Discuss
Veterans
Stranded, VA Accused of Not Paying Fare
Donny
Fisher learned the hard way on Monday that the company that shuttles patients
for free from one Veterans Affairs clinic to another in the Las Vegas Valley
has abruptly quit, saying it is owed nearly $600,000 from the federal government.
Discuss
Former
PG Official Sentenced to 2 1/2 Years in Prison
A
former Prince George's County official has been sentenced to two and a half
years in prison for bribery.
Discuss
Trustee
is Charged in Fraud Case
A
federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted a local government official in Washtenaw
County on charges of wire fraud and impersonating a federal prosecutor.
Discuss
Two
More City Inspectors Charged With Corruption
To
date, 10 city inspectors have been charged in various corruption cases on state
and federal levels.
Forum
Jehovah's
Witnesses Settle Sex Abuse Suits
A
victims' rights group released documents Thursday that showed the Jehovah's
Witnesses settled lawsuits with 16 people, 14 of the cases in California, who
claimed that they were sexually abused by church elders or that church officials
failed to act on abuse allegations.
Discuss
PG
School Board Seeks to Oust Official Facing Sex-Crime Charges
The
Prince George's County school board yesterday voted unanimously to ask the Maryland
State Board of Education to remove one of their members for "immorality
and misconduct" in office.
Discuss
9th
Ave. Fair Gives Crumbs To Charity
But
out of the gobs of money at 2006's festival, which bills itself as a benefit
to the Hell's Kitchen community, just $3,450 dribbled down to nine local charities.
Discuss
in forums
OxyContin
Maker, Execs Plead Guilty
The
maker of the powerful painkiller OxyContin and three of its current and former
executives pleaded guilty Thursday to misleading the public about the drug's
risk of addiction.
Discuss
Ivy
Leak: Prof Helps Columbia Cheaters
A
Columbia University professor is in hot water for leaking the contents of a
compulsory literature exam to her students, allowing hundreds of Ivy League
freshmen to cheat on their final and get away with it.
Discuss
Ex-Tiger
Faces Jail Over Child Support
Former
Detroit Tigers outfielder Ron LeFlore was arrested over the weekend for failing
to pay child support totaling $73,000.
Discuss
Former
Councilman Charged With Tax Fraud
A
federal grand jury has indicted a former St. Tammany Parish councilman on charges
of failing to report more than 92-thousand dollars in business income on his
tax returns.
Discuss
Eve
Is Charged With DUI
City
prosecutors filed misdemeanor charges Friday against Eve stemming from a traffic
accident in Hollywood last week.
Discuss
Paper
Trail Links D.C. Think Tank to 'Slush Fund'
When
U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney first told Congress about a 2003 golf junket he took with
lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the Oviedo Republican named a conservative think tank
called the National Center for Public Policy Research as the trip's sponsor.
Discuss
Guilty
Pleas Expected in Big Insider Trading Case
A
former Morgan Stanley executive responsible for making sure that employees obey
the law is preparing to plead guilty this week for her role in one of the largest
Wall Street insider-trading rings in more than two decades.
Discuss
Union
Founder Faces Theft Probe
Federal
authorities recently raided the home and office of Caleb A. Gray-Burriss, of
the National Association of Special Police and Security Officers amid an investigation
into his handling of more than $100,000 of pension dues and health-benefit funds.
Discuss
Oil
Services Executives Plead Guilty to Bribing Alaska Lawmakers
Two
top officers of an oil services company pleaded guilty today to bribing Alaska
lawmakers with cash and the promise of jobs, contracts and favors for their
backing on bills supported by the multinational firm.
Discuss
Extreme
Makeover Star Reportedly Arrested on DUI Charge
Ty
Pennington, host of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, was arrested on a
misdemeanor charge this weekend.
Discuss
9/11
Widow In Air Rage
The
widow of Port Authority Director Neil Levin - who was killed on 9/11 - demanded
that she be allowed to cut in front of hundreds of passengers waiting at a La
Guardia Airport checkpoint, and even skip security altogether, to board a recent
flight.
Discuss
Cards
Pitcher Hancock Drunk, Carrying Marijuana During Crash
St.
Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock was drunk at the time of his fatal accident,
and marijuana was found in the sport utility vehicle he was driving.
Discuss
Former
Atlanta Schools Tech Chief Pleads Guilty to Taking Bribes
A
former Atlanta Public Schools technology director pleaded guilty Wednesday to
taking $323,000 in bribes from vendors who wanted business from the district's
E-rate computer program to bring high-speed Internet to low-income schools.
Discuss
in forums
Teacher
Admits to Sex With Student
Jennifer
Diane Mally, 26, who teaches English at Paradise Valley High School and is also
a cheerleading coach, could face 29 counts of sexual conduct with a minor.
Discuss
Governor
Took Gifts From Indicted Contributor; Wife Got Job
Gov.
Rod Blagojevich accepted gifts valued at more than $500 last year from a now-indicted
contributor, and the governor's wife was employed by another contributor that
previously had state contracts.
Discuss
Panhandle
Coach/Teacher Arrested for Sexual Misconduct With 11 Students
The
Walton County Sheriff's Office charged Mark Cozzie with seven felony counts
of lewd or lascivious conduct, one felony count of lewd or lascivious molestation
and three misdemeanor counts of battery.
Discuss
Mary
Washington Fires President Over DUI Charges
The
University of Mary Washington fired its president Monday after he was charged
in two separate incidents with driving under the influence.
Discuss
Corps
Asked to Explain Katrina Pump Contract
When
the Army Corps of Engineers solicited bids for drainage pumps for New Orleans,
it copied the specifications — typos and all — from the catalog
of the manufacturer that ultimately won the $32 million contract.
Discuss
Govt.
Investigator Under Fire Himself
As
the head of a small federal agency known as the Office of Special Counsel, Bloch
is charged with protecting the rights of federal workers and ensuring that government
whistle-blowers aren't subject to reprisal.
Discuss
Carteret
Teacher Charged With Indecent Liberties
Stephen
James Van Hook, 41, was arrested by the Carteret County Sheriff's Department
and charged with two counts of indecent liberties with a student.
Discuss
University
Aid Office Rated Lenders on Perks
The
financial-aid office of the University of Texas at Austin partly rated student
lenders based on how they treated officials to meals and other extras.
Discuss
Duke
Biz School Punishes 34 for Cheating
The
largest cheating scandal ever at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business
involved more than a take-home exam as initially suspected, a business school
official said Tuesday.
Discuss
Interior
Official Quits Ahead of Hearing
Julie
MacDonald, deputy assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks, submitted
her resignation letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, a department spokesman
said Tuesday.
Discuss
in forums
U.S.
Did Not Use Donated Foreign Aid After Hurricane Katrina
In
the wake of Hurricane Katrina's devastation, the U.S. government failed to take
advantage of millions of dollars in foreign aid from its allies, The Washington
Post reported Sunday.
Discuss
Thousands
of Mexican Children Attending U.S. Public Schools
Thousands
of Mexican children are flocking across the U.S. border to attend school, sparking
a debate in towns along the border over whether U.S. taxpayers should have to
bear the costs of educating them.
Discuss
S.C.
Teacher Indicted on Charges of Sex With 5 Students
Allenna
Ward, 24, is due in court Monday on five counts of criminal sexual conduct with
a minor and six counts of lewd acts on a minor, prosecutor Jerry Peace said.
Discuss
Ex-Scout
Official Charged in Molestation
Charles
Bickerstaff, 56, of Dixon, was charged with four counts of aggravated criminal
sexual abuse and four counts of criminal sexual assault, Lee County Correctional
Officer Larry Schremp said Sunday.
Discuss
Officials
Enjoy Prime Seats
Most
city and county commissioners regularly accept premium arena and Florida Citrus
Bowl seats at prices their constituents would never get.
Discuss
Charlotte-area
Homebuyers Say Beazer Offered Money for High Marks
Some
Charlotte-area home buyers say builder Beazer Homes USA offered them money to
give the company high marks in a survey, which could have resulted in bonuses
for company executives.
Discuss
CEOs
Get Big Bucks and Tax Benefits
On
top of their million-dollar paychecks and lavish perks, executives often get
reimbursed for the taxes they have to pay on everything from personal rides
on corporate jets to fat severance payouts.
Discuss
Rice
Deputy Quits After Query Over Escort Service
Randall
L. Tobias, the deputy secretary of state responsible for U.S. foreign aid, abruptly
resigned yesterday after he was asked about an upscale escort service allegedly
involved in prostitution, U.S. government sources said.
Discuss
Former
Mets Employee Sold Steroids To Players
A
former employee of the New York Mets admitted to distributing a variety of performance-enhancing
drugs, including anabolic steroids and human growth hormone, to dozens of Major
League Baseball players over a 10-year period beginning in 1995, according to
a felony plea agreement filed in federal court Friday.
Discuss
Govt.
Report Finds Questionable Contracts Awarded In Katrina Recovery Effort
FEMA
exposed taxpayers to significant waste - and possibly violated federal law -
by awarding $3.6 billion worth of Hurricane Katrina contracts to companies with
poor credit histories and bad paperwork, investigators say.
Discuss
Jury
Gets Case in Tenn. Corruption Trial
Jurors
began deliberations Wednesday in the trial of a once-influential state senator
accused of taking $55,000 in bribes from a fake FBI company that supposedly
sought changes to state law.
Discuss
in forums
E.
Kentucky Lawmaker Avoids Prison Term in Election Fraud Case
A
state lawmaker who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor "non-willful" vote-buying
charge will not face a prison term.
Discuss
SEC
Files Charges Against 2 Former Apple Officers
The
Securities and Exchange Commission filed civil charges Tuesday against two former
Apple Inc. officers over their alleged roles in backdating stock options.
Discuss
Ex-State
Prisons Chief to be Sentenced for Taking Kickbacks
As
head of the Florida Department of Corrections, Secretary James Crosby seemed
to be above the fray as guards ran rampant. Some sold and used steroids, fought,
hired ringers for the employee softball team and allegedly committed sexual
assault, but Crosby clung to his job.
Discuss
FDA
Was Aware of Dangers To Food
The
Food and Drug Administration has known for years about contamination problems
at a Georgia peanut butter plant and on California spinach farms that led to
disease outbreaks that killed three people, sickened hundreds, and forced one
of the biggest product recalls in U.S. history, documents and interviews show.
Discuss
2
Lawmakers Spend More Than $19,500 to Redecorate Offices
Two
veteran state legislators who voted to give themselves a 62 percent pay raise
have in the past two months spent more than $19,500 in taxpayer money to redecorate
their offices at the Alabama Statehouse.
Discuss
Bush
Administration Awash in Scandals
Campaigning
in 2000, Texas Gov. George W. Bush would repeatedly raise his right hand as
if taking an oath and vow to "restore honor and integrity" to the
White House. He pledged to usher in a new era of bipartisanship.
Discuss
Up
to 150,000 Social Security Numbers Revealed on Census Bureau Web Site
The
Social Security numbers of up to 150,000 people who received Agriculture Department
grants have been posted on a government Web site since 1996, but were taken
down last week.
Discuss
in forums
Investigation
of 'No Child' Reading Program Intensifies
A
federal investigator looking into allegations of conflict of interest and mismanagement
in a $1 billion-a-year Education Department reading program said Friday he has
made criminal referrals to the Justice Department.
Discuss
Accused
Female Sex Offenders
Discuss
Woman
Robbed Fund f
