Neil Volz

The Other Side Of The Abramoff Scandal: Neil Volz, Now A Janitor, Self-Publishes Book

Ryan J. Reilly | December 29, 2011, 6:00AM

For a felon, former lobbyist Jack Abramoff has it pretty good: a book deal, a WND column, regular appearances on cable news and a spot judging TPM's Golden Dukes. But it turns out the path to prosperity is a lot of tougher for the lower-ranking individuals caught up in the scandal defined by Abramoff's name.

Take Neil Volz. He was chief-of-staff to former Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) and went to work with Abramoff at Greenburg Traurig LLP in 2002. He reached a plea deal with the Justice Department and pleaded guilty in 2006 and testified against fellow Abramoff associate Kevin Ring and former Bush administration official David Safavian.

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Jack B. Johnson

Ex-Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson Sentenced To Over Seven Years In Bribery Case

Ryan J. Reilly | December 6, 2011, 12:23PM

Former Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson, the Maryland Democrat who told his wife to flush a check down the toilet and stuff thousands of dollars of cash in her bra as FBI agents knocked on the door of their home, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison on Tuesday. He was also given three years of supervised release and ordered to undergo alcohol counseling and pay a $100,000 fine.

The judge called Johnson's acts "a deliberate march down a long path of kleptocracy." Johnson's lawyers had argued that a long prison term would be a death sentence for Johnson, who is 62.

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Jack Johnson

Feds: Jack Johnson's Glossy 'Legacy' Booklets Highlight 'Hypocrisy And Self-Delusion'

Ryan J. Reilly | November 22, 2011, 3:22PM

Before Jack Johnson left public office in late 2010 -- and prior to his arrest in a massive corruption scandal -- the former Prince George's County Executive had 250,000 glossy booklets printed up with the title "A Legacy: Leadership, Service." Taxpayers paid $226,597 to have them printed. There they are pictured above, sitting in a warehouse.

Now a copy of the booklet is "Attachment A" in a sentencing memo filed on Monday by federal prosecutors, who use Johnson's own quotes in the booklet against him.

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Jack Johnson

Feds Recommend Significant Sentence In Jack Johnson Corruption Case

Ryan J. Reilly | November 22, 2011, 12:45PM

Former Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson (D) should get a sentence of up to 14 years in prison for his "audacious behavior" which "understandably captured the public's attention and harmed the reputation of Maryland's second-largest county and its 850,000 residents," federal prosecutors said in a sentencing memo this week.

According to the memo, obtained by TPM from the U.S. Attorney's office (it wasn't available in electronic court system), a stiff sentence would be a "deterrent message" and "will resonate significantly with other public officials tempted to engage in similar conduct." They're recommending a judge stay within the recommending sentencing guidelines, which could send Johnson to jail for up to 14 years.

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Jack Abramoff

Jack Abramoff's Rehabilitation Tour Hits D.C.

Ryan J. Reilly | November 16, 2011, 6:02AM

"My life has taken a bit of a turn," lobbyist-turned-felon-turned-reform advocate Jack Abramoff told the crowd assembled in Tucker Carlson's living room in Northwest D.C. on Tuesday night. "I used to be a right-wing guy who sort of disdained the New York Times, 60 Minutes and Michael Moore. Now, I'm happy to be on 60 Minutes, I love the pieces in the New York Times and Michael Moore is my new best friend."

Meet Abramoff 2.0. Sixteen months after his prison term from the most infamous Washington corruption case in recent memory ended, Abramoff was addressing an audience of journalists and friends about how his world has been turned upside down. In the midst of a publicity tour for his book Capitol Punishment: The Hard Truth About Washington Corruption From America's Most Notorious Lobbyist -- Twitter feed, Facebook page, snazzy website, the works -- Abramoff said he knows his new stances on reform aren't earning him any friends.

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Jack Johnson

AUDIO: Ex-Councilwoman Stuffs Cash In Bra, Flushes Check As FBI Knocks On Door

Ryan J. Reilly | November 15, 2011, 5:52AM

FBI agents arrested former Prince George's County, Maryland Executive (and Golden Duke nominee) Jack B. Johnson and his wife Leslie Johnson over a year ago in a corruption plot involving development deals. Thanks to a federal wiretap, transcripts told us that Jack and Leslie chatted about flushing dirty money down the toilet and stuffing cash in her "panties." Now there's audio.

Ahead of Leslie's sentencing on Dec. 9, federal prosecutors have disclosed tapes of Johnson and Johnson discussing -- as FBI agents knocked on the door of the couple's home -- about where to hide cash they acquired though corrupt relationships with developers.

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Jack Abramoff

Tucker Carlson On Hosting Jack Abramoff Book Party: 'What He Did Is Hardly Out Of The Ordinary For Washington'

Ryan J. Reilly | October 25, 2011, 4:30PM

The birther website World Net Daily might have gotten the publishing rights to Jack Abramoff's forthcoming memoir, but Tucker Carlson's Daily Caller gets to host the book party.

Invites are out for a Nov. 15 event at Carlson's D.C. home, where they'll toast Abramoff's new book: Capitol Punishment: The Hard Truth About Washington Corruption From America's Most Notorious Lobbyist, which drops Nov. 1.

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Kevin Ring

DOJ Wants Kevin Ring Sentenced To Two Months More Than Jack Abramoff

Ryan J. Reilly | October 12, 2011, 2:15PM

Federal prosecutors are asking a federal judge to send Jack Abramoff associate Kevin Ring to jail for four years and two months when he's sentenced on Oct. 26.

The Justice Department argued in a Tuesday filing that Ring should serve three years probation after his release and perform community service in lieu of a fine. Ring -- who was convicted of conspiracy, paying of an illegal gratuity and three counts of honest services fraud -- had asked for five years probation for his role in the Abramoff scandal.

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Jack Abramoff

Judge Tells Feds They Can't Retaliate Against Abramoff Pal Kevin Ring

Ryan J. Reilly | September 20, 2011, 3:25PM

Kevin Ring

A federal judge rebuffed the Justice Department's attempt to send Kevin Ring, the lobbyist affiliated with Jack Abramoff convicted of bribing public officials, to jail for 17 years, ruling federal prosecutors can't punish him for fighting the charges against him at trial.

Instead of the 17-22 year sentence the government wanted to impose, Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle ruled that Ring will face 46 to 57 months in jail when he's sentenced on Oct. 26.

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Bingo Bribery

After Major Setback, Feds Set To Retry Alabama Pols, Casino Owner In Bingo Bribery Case

Ryan J. Reilly | August 15, 2011, 5:30PM

The Justice Department suffered a major setback last week when a federal jury in Alabama tossed out most of the charges in a massive public corruption case involving casino interests allegedly bribing state senators to support a bill legalizing bingo in the state.

But federal prosecutors indicated Monday that they'll give it another go on the charges that weren't unanimously acquitted. A judge has scheduled a new trial for October.

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Donald 'Buz' Lukens

The Unbelievable Career Of John Boehner's Congressional Predecessor

Ryan J. Reilly and Zoe Schlanger | July 21, 2011, 6:00AM

Donald "Buz" Lukens, former Ohio representative

Ever wanted to know who to thank for House Speaker John Boehner's congressional career? The late Ohio Republican Rep. Donald "Buz" Lukens was your man.

It was 1990. Lukens was in his second term in Congress. The year before, the 58-year-old congressman had been caught on a television network's hidden camera in a McDonald's restaurant speaking with the mother of a 16-year-old girl he was allegedly sleeping with.

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Kwame Kilpatrick

Kwame Kilpatrick Tell-All Blames 'Enemies' For His 'Political Saga Of Epic Proportions'

Jillian Rayfield | July 7, 2011, 10:48AM

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick

Beleaguered former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has written a tell-all book, describing how he wound up in jail and blaming many of his troubles on a number of "enemies" who were threatened by his election. "Their bottom lines for me, then, became simple. Get rid of me. And they're not finished," he writes.

"Like any political saga of epic proportions, there are no simple explanations for the direction in which my career went. But there are two sides to the story and probably three. The world has heard the press' side for almost 10 years, and it's caused a tidal wave of sentiment against me," Kilpatrick writes in the memoir, according to excerpts published by the Detroit Free Press.

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Bribery

House Republicans And U.S. Chamber Team Up To Weaken Anti-Bribery Law (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | June 14, 2011, 2:22PM

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce thinks a law that prohibits American businesses from paying bribes to foreign government officials is hurting U.S. companies, and Republicans in the House agree. But don't accuse them of being pro-bribery.

"Nobody here is in favor of bribery," said Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) at a Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday examining the 1977 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). But Sensenbrenner and House Republicans made clear they intend to change the law as it currently stands.

Sensenbrenner called the FCPA statute vague and said it was too open to the interpretation of the Justice Department, arguing that the feds could even apply the law to paying for cab rides for their overseas workers if they wanted. But a Justice Department representative pointed out that all the panelists advocating for reform couldn't point out one example of when they believed the feds had overreached by prosecuting over a cup of coffee or taxi ride and touted recent cases involving bribery with a Ferrari, a yacht and a $170,000 payment toward a credit card bill.

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Prince George's County

Mugshots Released In Prince George's County Corruption Scandal

Melissa Jeltsen | March 16, 2011, 10:24AM

Jack Johnson

The scandal started with a check flushed down the toilet, a cash-stuffed bra and the arrest of Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson and his wife Leslie for alleged corruption. But the additional arrests that ensued exposed a wide-ranging tobacco and alcohol smuggling ring in the D.C. suburbs.

TPM just received the mugshots of eight people who were arrested in the Prince George's County corruption probe. Check out our slideshow to see the players and learn more about how store owners and police allegedly teamed up to smuggle untaxed booze and cigarettes into Maryland.

Jack B. Johnson

Feds: Md. Politician Solicited Donations On Behalf Of Alleged Bra-Stuffing Wife

Ryan J. Reilly | February 14, 2011, 2:03PM

Leslie Johnson and Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson

The other shoe has dropped for Jack B. Johnson, the former executive of Prince George's County, Maryland, who rose to fame when he allegedly told his wife to stuff cash in her bra as FBI agents raided their home as part of a corruption investigation.

The Valentine's Day indictment of Jack Johnson on conspiracy, extortion and bribery charges, first reported by TBD, leaves out his wife, Prince George's County Councilwoman Leslie Johnson, who has already been charged in the bra-stuffing episode. But Leslie Johnson's name and campaign does come up plenty of times in the indictment against her husband.

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Ted Stevens

Ted Stevens FBI File Posted

Ryan J. Reilly | February 11, 2011, 10:50AM

Former Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK)

The FBI just posted the massive FBI file of the late Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK).

From the FBI:

This release contains approximately 3,600 pages of responsive material; the majority of it--approximately 2,700 pages--consists of public source material from the media file associated with the pending "POLAR PEN" public corruption investigation of the FBI Anchorage Field Office.

The remainder of the release consists of 11 main files from the Anchorage and Washington Field Offices and from FBI Headquarters. The files include material on extortion threats to the senator, press reports and newspaper articles about public corruption, and correspondence between Stevens and the FBI.

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Jack Abramoff

Scanlon Could Be Ordered To Pay $20 Million to Tribes and K Street Firm

Susan Crabtree | February 11, 2011, 9:39AM

Michael Scanlon and Jack Abramoff

A U.S. district court judge is poised to order Michael Scanlon, Jack Abramoff's partner in a wide-ranging lobbying sandal, to cough up more than $20 million to compensate several Indian tribes, as well as Abramoff's former lobbying firm, for his role in defrauding them.

Scanlon faces sentencing Friday morning, and in the weeks leading up to it, former congressional aides and lobbyists stung by the scandal have griped about the tens of millions of dollars Scanlon has amassed and sunk into extensive real estate holdings in Dewey Beach, Del. and D.C. His attorneys have argued that Scanlon should not have to pay the full $19 million he had agreed to when he pled guilty five years ago because of the extensive damage the scandal has done to his earning potential and his role as a father of two boys.

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Fraser Verrusio

Former Aide To Young Convicted In World Series Tickets Scandal

Ryan J. Reilly | February 10, 2011, 4:40PM

A federal jury in Washington has convicted a former aide to Rep. Don Young (R-AK) on corruption charges related to his acceptance of an all-expenses paid trip to Game One of the 2003 World Series, the Justice Department said Thursday.

The jury took just two days to convict 41-year-old Fraser Verrusio on one count of conspiring to accept an illegal gratuity, one count of accepting an illegal gratuity and one count of making a false statement in failing to report his receipt of gifts from a lobbyist and the lobbyist's client on his 2003 financial disclosure statement, according to a press release.

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Michael Scanlon

Feds Want Two Years In Jail For Abramoff Pal Michael Scanlon

Ryan J. Reilly | February 7, 2011, 12:10PM

Michael Scanlon

When he's sentenced on Friday, the federal government wants former lobbyist Michael Scanlon to go to jail for at least two years.

Justice Department lawyers wrote in a 25-page filing on Friday that "respectfully requests that this court impose a sentence of 24 months in prison to be followed by a three year term of supervised release."

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Samuel Bodman

Bush's Energy Sec Spent $30K On Gov't Flights To Political Events

Ryan J. Reilly | January 25, 2011, 3:50PM

Samuel Bodman, Energy Secretary under former President George W. Bush, appears to have spent over $30,000 in federal funds on government plane rides to political events for Republican members of Congress in the lead up to the 2006 elections.

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David M. Rivera

Investigation Into Frosh GOP Rep Rivera Expands

Ryan J. Reilly | January 20, 2011, 3:20PM

Rep. David Rivera (R-FL)

Florida Republican Rep. David M. Rivera is facing an expanding investigation into alleged financial improprieties just a few weeks into his first term in office.

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Jarrod D. Massey

Convicted Alabama Bingo Briber Massey Heads To Prison

Ryan J. Reilly | January 20, 2011, 8:55AM

Jarrod D. Massey, a former casino lobbyist who admitted he bought and sold votes in the Alabama state legislator on pro-gambling legislature, went to prison yesterday. And he doesn't even know how long he'll be there.

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Tom DeLay

DeLay: Judge Is 'Dead Wrong,' The Lawyers Said It Was Legal! (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | January 14, 2011, 12:27PM

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) told MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell last night that the judge who sentenced him to three years in prison was "dead wrong" and that he has a "great chance" of overturning his November conviction of money laundering.

DeLay argued that he was not guilty of money laundering because he had not received his contributions from "drug money or money from fraud or some" other criminal activity. Instead Delay says he received it legally from American corporations.

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Bell, CA

One Disgraced Ex-Bell Official Works As Parking Attendant, Others Ask City To Pay Legal Fees

Jillian Rayfield | January 13, 2011, 2:14PM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

In the "Where Are They Now" of ex-Bell, California city officials, former Bell City Administrator Robert Rizzo is working as a parking lot attendant, and three other former officials are trying to get the city to pay their legal bills -- after they allegedly used public funds to inflate their salaries.

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Detroit

Kwame Kilpatrick Pleads Not Guilty To Federal Corruption Charges

Rachel Slajda | January 11, 2011, 9:50AM

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick

Ex-mayor of Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick yesterday pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges. His father, Bernard Kilpatrick, and three other defendants also pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors allege that Kilpatrick, his father, a mayoral aide, the former head of the water department and a city contractor colluded to extort millions from contractors. Kilpatrick allegedly forced firms looking for city contracts to pay kickbacks, fly Kilpatrick and his friends around the country and/or hire his friend, Bobby Ferguson, as a subcontractor. Ferguson is one of the five defendants.

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Tom DeLay

Tom DeLay Sentenced To Prison

Rachel Slajda | January 10, 2011, 3:22PM

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX)

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) has been sentenced to three years in prison, the AP and the Austin-American Statesman are reporting.

Texas Judge Pat Priest handed down the sentence this afternoon in an Austin courtroom.

DeLay was convicted in November on money laundering and conspiracy charges. His lawyers asked for the minimum sentence, probation. Prosecutors asked for at least 10 years in prison.

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Paul Magliocchetti

Despite Donations To Girl Scouts, PMA Lobbyist Gets 27 Months

Ryan J. Reilly and Alex Sciuto | January 7, 2011, 6:17PM

Former super-lobbyist Paul Magliocchetti was sentenced today to 27 months in prison, a spokesman for the Justice Department told TPM.

Peter Carr, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office for the Eastern District of Virginia, told TPM that the hearing, which began at 1 p.m., lasted until 5:30 p.m.

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Darrell Issa

Issa: When I Said Obama Is Corrupt, I Meant Like A Computer (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | January 6, 2011, 10:00AM

Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) is now attempting to explain away comments he made about the President Barack Obama being corrupt -- by claiming that the media just doesn't understand what he was trying to say.

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Phillip A.Hamilton

Feds Say VA GOPer Used Position To Endow Job He Was Seeking

Ryan J. Reilly | January 6, 2011, 9:33AM

A former Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates set up a plum position for himself at Old Dominion University -- a job he funded through legislation he introduced at the same time he was soliciting the gig, a federal grand jury charged in an indictment on Wednesday.

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Allen Stanford

After Complaining Of Delay, Allen Stanford Wants Two Year Hold On Trial

Ryan J. Reilly | January 5, 2011, 12:00PM

Allen Stanford

Allen Stanford, the man accused of stealing $7 billion from investors in a Ponzi scheme, wants a two year delay in his trial. But the Justice Department argued this week that's all his lawyers are trying to do with their request is to get him released from prison in the interim.

The feds said in a court filing that the two year postponement is excessive and that defense lawyers had already filed motions "covering most conceivable legal issues."

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Alabama

Amid Bingo Bribery Scandal, Alabama Institutes Lobbying Reform

Ryan J. Reilly | December 28, 2010, 11:20AM

Gov. Bob Riley (R-AL)

The Alabama state legislature last week approved a package of ethics bills that supporters say will change state politics for the better amid the unfolding bingo legislation bribery scandal. But as the Birmingham News reports there's "disagreement on whether those changes are giant leaps or small steps."

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Allen Stanford

US Diplomats Avoided Allen Stanford Long Before His Arrest

Ryan J. Reilly | December 21, 2010, 12:01PM

Allen Stanford

Long before the feds got him, corrupt Texas financier Allen Stanford was persona non grata in the circles of U.S. diplomats, according to cables released by WikiLeaks, the Guardian reported.

Diplomats were so concerned about the rumors of "bribery, money-laundering and political manipulation" surrounding Stanford that they avoided contac with him or being photographed with him more than two years before his arrest by the FBI for allegedly bilking investors of $7 billion in a huge Ponzi scheme.

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Bell City Council Officials

Bell, CA Nearly Broke After Salary Inflation Scandal

Jillian Rayfield | December 21, 2010, 8:41AM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

The city of Bell, CA is nearly broke after city officials used public funds to inflate their salaries, and is now facing painful cuts to the city's budget, including possibly disbanding its police department and slashing other city services.

Some of the officials in this blue-collar Los Angeles-area city made up to $96,000 a year for part-time elected positions -- 20 times the national average for a city Bell's size. Former Bell City Administrator Robert Rizzo, who was charged with 53 different counts, made nearly $800,000 a year. Eight Bell officials pleaded not guilty to the charges in October.

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David Paterson

NY Gov Fined $62K Over Yankees World Series Tickets

Rachel Slajda | December 20, 2010, 1:03PM

Gov. David Paterson (D-NY)

New York Gov. David Paterson has been fined $62,125 for accepting several 2009 World Series tickets from the New York Yankees.

The state Commission on Public Integrity announced today that it found that Paterson (D), who will finish his term at the end of the month, guilty of breaking state ethics law by accepting illegal gifts.

The commission also found that Paterson had lied to the commission about the tickets in February. It's a finding also made by an independent investigator appointed by the state attorney general's office, who said in August that Paterson could be charged with perjury. The case is now in the hands of the Albany County district attorney, who has not yet announced a decision about whether to charge Paterson.

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Detroit

Indictment: Kilpatrick Demanded Private Flights To Vegas For City Contracts

Rachel Slajda | December 17, 2010, 10:31AM

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick

According to the federal racketeering indictment that came down Wednesday, former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick demanded a lot in exchange for a city contract. One of those things was, allegedly, all-expense-paid trips to swanky locales like Las Vegas via the private jets of city contractors.

In one case, according to the indictment, Kilpatrick had a couple of top aides inform the owner of a company that managed millions of Detroit pension funds that Kilpatrick wasn't happy the contractor had supported his opponent in the 2005 election. So the unnamed contractor allegedly flew Kilpatrick and five of the mayor's friends to Vegas for a golf trip in April 2007 -- a golf trip that included hotels, meals, limo service, concert tickets and massages -- to the tune of $16,000.

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Detroit

Kwame Tweet: 'Moral Responsibility May Compel You To Disobey The Law'

Rachel Slajda | December 16, 2010, 3:30PM

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick -- or, more likely, a family member -- is defending the mayor on Twitter after his federal indictment yesterday charging him with racketeering, bribery, extortion and fraud.

"Is disobedience of the government ever justified?" the @KwameAndFamily Twitter account asked yesterday.

A few hours later: "We must obey God rather than men."

This morning: "Moral responsibility may compel you to disobey the law."

TPM confirmed the authenticity of the Twitter account with Mike Paul, Kilpatrick's public relations man.

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Corruption

'Lol!' How Kwame Kilpatrick Allegedly Planned Mass Extortion

Rachel Slajda | December 16, 2010, 1:57PM

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick

We just got through the 38-count federal indictment against former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and a handful of his cohorts, alleging that the group operated as a criminal organization that extorted tens of millions of dollars from city contractors. The indictment -- against Kilpatrick, his father, a city contractor named Bobby Ferguson and two former city officials -- is full of bits of conversations between the men, presumably via text message and punctuated with "Lol"s and "COOL!"s.

The indictment alleges extortion, bribery, racketeering, mail fraud and RICO conspiracy, a charge originally reserved for crime syndicates like the mafia. Kilpatrick and other city officials were allegedly in the habit of threatening to take away lucrative city contracts from firms unless they hired Ferguson at inflated rates and, in some cases, for no work at all.

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Kwame Kilpatrick

Feds Indict Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick

Rachel Slajda | December 15, 2010, 3:52PM

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick

According to local news reports, former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been indicted on federal corruption charges.

Kilpatrick was charged along with his father, Bernard Kilpatrick, and several other former city officials: city contractor Bobby Ferguson, former top Kilpatrick aide Derrick Miller and former water department chief Victor Mercado, according to the Free Press.

According to the Detroit News, the men are being charged under Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO, a law usually used to prosecute mobsters and other perpetrators of organized crime.

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Alan Mendelsohn

Major Florida GOP Donor Pleaded Guilty In Fraud Scheme

Ryan J. Reilly | December 10, 2010, 11:32AM

Alan Mendelsohn

A Florida doctor who raised millions of dollars for Republicans and advised Gov. Charlie Crist pleaded guilty Thursday to tax fraud, mail fraud and making false statements for his role in a fraud scheme involving lobbying and fundraising for political candidates and organizations.

Alan Mendelsohn admitted that he and his co-conspirators siphoned approximately $330,000 from the political entities -- both directly in the form of third-party payments -- for Mendelsohn's benefit from 2003 through 2008, according to the Justice Department.

Some of that money was used to buy a love-nest for him and his mistress, as well as a car for the mistress, prosecutors had charged. Mendelsohn also admitted to failing to report $82,000 in political donations that he secretly gave to a former state senator. All in all, Mendelsohn underreported his taxable income by over $600,000, said DOJ.

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Leslie Johnson

Alleged Bra-Stuffer Sworn In As Councilwoman (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | December 7, 2010, 10:02AM

Leslie Johnson and Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson

Despite the federal indictment against her, Leslie Johnson was sworn into office on Monday in Prince George's County, Md. on a Bible held by her husband and alleged co-conspirator, Jack Johnson.

Leslie Johnson is accused of stuffing nearly $80,000 in cash in her bra and flushing a $100,000 check down the toilet as FBI agents knocked on the door in order to search her home as part of a corruption probe.

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