Lobbyist Tied to DeLay Is Indicted for Fraud

[im10ashus]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Lobbyist-Fraud.html?hp&ex=1123819200&en=b751ed09abadcd92&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Filed at 5:10 p.m. ET

MIAMI (AP) -- Lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a key figure in investigations involving House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on fraud charges arising from a 2000 deal to buy casino boats.

The indictment, returned by a grand jury in Fort Lauderdale, charges that Abramoff and an associate, 36-year-old New York businessman Adam Kidan, used a fake wire transfer to defraud two lenders out of some $60 million to finance the deal for SunCruz Casinos.

Abramoff and Kidan are charged with five counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Each count carries a penalty of up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta said Abramoff was in FBI custody in Los Angeles. Kidan's attorney in Florida, Martin Jaffe, said his client would surrender to authorities in Fort Lauderdale on Friday.

cont'd...

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. And I am LOVIN it *g*

[im10ashus]

2. Looks like their past is catching up with them.

It will be interesting to see how he tries to explain himself out of this one. Of course, he has a lot of money, and will drag this out for quite awhile.