Former mayor indicted for fraud: Bill Campbell charged with corruption during his mayoral term.A federal grand jury has indicted INDICTED, practice. When a man is accused by a bill of indictment preferred by a grand jury, he is said to be indicted. former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell, charging him with racketeering Traditionally, obtaining or extorting money illegally or carrying on illegal business activities, usually by Organized Crime . A pattern of illegal activity carried out as part of an enterprise that is owned or controlled by those who are engaged in the illegal activity. , corruption, bribery, and tax fraud for allegedly accepting thousands of dollars from business owners in exchange for lucrative city contracts during his tenure as mayor. Acting U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates, flanked by special agents from the Internal Revenue Service, the FBI, and the Department of Justice's public integrity unit, announced the seven-count indictment during an Atlanta press conference. The indictment, unsealed Aug. 30, alleged that Campbell accepted more than $150,000 in cash payments in exchange for contracts, which he used for travel, home improvement, and gambling. "The determination to present charges to a grand jury is a decision that we all take very seriously," Yates said in a statement during the press conference. "Great care has also been taken to ensure that Mayor Campbell and his team of lawyers had an opportunity to provide any information that they thought should he considered in making a prosecutive decision." As Campbell stood silently in the room, Yates offered details that painted a troubling picture of Campbell's tenure as the mayor of Atlanta between 1994 and 2002. In one count, Campbell is accused of soliciting and accepting $55,000 from a computer contractor who was awarded a no-bid contract  This article or section may deal primarily with the U.S. and may not present a worldwide view. to provide services to the city of Atlanta to prevent a Y2K See Y2K problem and Y2K compliant. Y2K - Year 2000 computer crash in 1999. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Yates, Campbell asked, "What's in it for me?" when he was approached by a subcontractor acting as a middleman mid·dle·man n. 1. A trader who buys from producers and sells to retailers or consumers. 2. An intermediary; a go-between. for the computer contractor, to which the subcontractor responded, "Whatever it takes." Another charge claims a contractor who was bidding on a city contract financed a new heating and air conditioning air conditioning, mechanical process for controlling the humidity, temperature, cleanliness, and circulation of air in buildings and rooms. Indoor air is conditioned and regulated to maintain the temperature-humidity ratio that is most comfortable and healthful. system at Campbell's home in the summer of 1996. The indictment further alleges that in 1997, a Water Filter Co. executive cashed a $25,000 check for Campbell to travel to Memphis, Tennessee, and Tunica, Mississippi, for a gambling trip; in April 1998, the city awarded that company a sole-source purchase order that was allegedly inflated by $400,000 to pay the consultant who arranged the payment for the gambling trip. FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Jones said that 10 individuals, including three top aides to Campbell, have already been convicted or pleaded guilty as the result of a five-year investigation that turned up "numerous allegations of corruption, bribery, tax fraud, perjury perjury (pûr`jərē), in criminal law, the act of willfully and knowingly stating a falsehood under oath or under affirmation in judicial or administrative proceedings. , obstruction of justice A criminal offense that involves interference, through words or actions, with the proper operations of a court or officers of the court. The integrity of the judicial system depends on the participants' acting honestly and without fear of reprisals. , and illegal campaign contributions." Larry Wallace, who served as the chief operating officer Chief Operating Officer (COO) The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president. for the city of Atlanta, pleaded guilty to bribery and tax fraud in this case. Joseph Reid, who was the city's deputy chief operating officer, also pleaded guilty to bribery. Herbert McCall, formerly the city's commissioner of administrative services, was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice. Still, Campbell maintains his innocence. The 51-year-old lawyer now lives in South Florida and works for the law firm headed by millionaire trial lawyer Willie Gary. Calls to Campbell and his office were not returned, but the Associated Press reported that Campbell told reporters following the press conference, "The only thing that's correct in this indictment is the spelling of my name." CAMPBELL'S LEGAL TROUBLES Count 1: Racketeering This count charges Campbell with conducting the city's affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity from 1996 to 2002, including receiving payments and other benefits from contractors and consultants and committing campaign fund fraud. Counts 2-4: Corrupt Payments These counts charge Campbell with receiving unlawful cash payments of $25,000, $20,000, and $10,000 in 1999 in connection with the Y2K contract. Counts 5-7: Tax Violations These counts charge Campbell with willfully willfully adv. referring to doing something intentionally, purposefully and stubbornly. Examples: "He drove the car willfully into the crowd on the sidewalk." "She willfully left the dangerous substances on the property." (See: willful) filing false tax returns for tax years 1997, 1998, and 1999. |
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