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Randy "Duke" Cunningham

Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA) represented California's 50th district in Congress from 1991 until his resignation after pleading guilty to criminal charges in federal court on Nov. 28, 2005. On March 3, 2006, he was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison for accepting $2.4 million in bribes. Cunningham's sentence was the longest ever meted out to a member of Congress. Cunningham reported to jail in March of 2006.

See Cunningham's Grand Ole Docket entry for ongoing court dates, and follow Cunningham news coverage at TPMmuckraker.

Key Points:

Cunningham sought and accepted bribes from defense contractors in exchange for government contracts.

Cunningham accepted a variety of bribes from contractors, notably Mitchell Wade, owner of MZM Inc., and Brent Wilkes, owner of ADCS Inc. Cunningham arranged for MZM to receive over $160 million in Pentagon contracts, while ADCS benefited from $90 million in contracts arranged by Cunningham.

The list of bribes is extensive (see below).

In addition to defense contracts, Cunningham accepted bribes for other services.

Cunningham made a $400,000 profit selling his boat to Thomas Kontogiannis before helping the convicted businessman find legal aid to seek a pardon from President Bush. Kontogiannis was found guilty for his roll in a 2002 bid-rigging plot to provide computer services to New York City schools (Cunningham had also tried to intervene on Kontogiannis' behalf before the conviction).

Cunningham prepared a 'bribe menu' for defense contractor Mitchell Wade.

In one column of the 'menu,' Cunningham wrote the dollar-amount in contracts that could be had for the equivalent bribe written in the next column. For example, Cunningham listed "16" next to "BT 140" - meaning $16 million in contracts were available in exchange for a $140,000 boat. The menu continues, showing that another million dollars in contracts was available for every additional $50,000 in bribes.

See the bribe menu and a complete rundown of Cunningham's illicit activities.

Here's what Cunningham got and who gave it to him (sources are Cunningham's Plea Agreement and the indictment of Brent Wilkes):

From Brent Wilkes (a.k.a. "Co-conspirator #1" in Cunningham's plea):

$525,000 paid to company owned by Thomas Kontogiannis, in order to pay off a mortgage issued by John T. Michael on Cunningham's Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. home.
$70,000 personal check to Cunningham
$30,000 personal check to Cunningham
$11,116.50 to CIT Group toward a mortgage on Cunningham's Yacht (Kelly C)
More than $700,000, in “cash, checks, meals, limousine service, corporate jet travel, lodging, furnishings, boats and marine equipment, prostitution services, vacations, and entertainment.” Details below:
Thousands of dollars for meals at The Capital Grille, The Palm, Ozio’s, P.F. Chang’s, Mr. K’s, Serbian Crown Restaurant, the Confucius Café, and other unnamed restaurants.
A Shirlington Limousine service around Washington, D.C.
$11,255 Sea-Doo Speedster watercraft from Coleman Power Sports
$14,496.78 Sea-Doo Speedster watercraft from Coleman Power Sports
$721.60 check to Blue Danube Corporate Support for catering a “Congressional” dinner which Cunningham attended
$1,499 NEC laptop computer
A limousine to The Capital Grille
$967.50 check to Blue Danube Corporate Support for catering a meal aboard Cunningham’s yacht
$7,101.16 inflatable dock
$247.15 meal at The Capital Grille
$581.58 catered meal at Cunningham’s yacht club
$821 flight for Cunningham and staff from San Diego to Las Vegas
$4,043.26 meal at Andre’s French Restaurant for Cunningham and staff
A Jimmy Buffet concert ticket and transportation to the event
$70,000 check
$30,000 check
Thousands of dollars to two charter jet companies to fly around the country
$11,116.50 monthly mortgage payments on Cunningham’s yacht
Expenses for a Palm Springs vacation, including dinner, lodging, and golf
$3,346 ride on Wilkes’s corporate jet from Palm Springs to San Diego
$14,044 ride on Wilkes’s corporate jet from San Diego to Washington D.C.
$5,076 GPS navigational system, $693.99 update for said system, and $606.80 “internal mapping software” for Cunningham’s yacht
$5,302.07 ride on Wilkes’s corporate jet from San Diego to Coeur D’Alene, Idaho
Entertainment in Idaho including $250 “machine gun shooting session,” $802.24 golf equipment, $2,286.13 room charges
$6,185.29 flight home from Idaho
$11,954.67 flight from Manassas, Virginia, to San Diego
$9,914.79 flight back to Manassas
$12,000 furniture including several night stands, a cabinet, a washstand, a buffet, and several armoires
$10,956.60 flight to Manassas, Va
$200,000 down payment to Coastal Capital for down payment on Cunningham’s Arlington, Va condo
$738.40 computer desk
$8,768.88 flight for second trip to Idaho
$16,382.20 hotel expenses including food, lodging, and entertainment
$8,768.88 return flight
$3,144.18 meal at The Capital Grille
$11,774.03 flight from Washington D.C. to San Diego
$9,975.18 return flight
Superbowl tickets
Thousands of dollars for Key Largo vacation including food, lodging, a fishing tournament and a diving trip
$1,001.63 meal at The Capital Grille
$6,600 per night Hapuna Suite at Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel in Hawaii.
$600 cash for two hours of prostitution services from Prostitutes A and B
Lavish dinner at Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel
$500 tip for Prostitute A
$427.50 cocktail party
$250 plus $60 per person for dinner
$600 cash for one hour of prostitution services from Prostitutes A and C (“pursuant to Cunningham’s request, Wilkes arranged for the Congressman to get a different prostitute for the second evening.”)
$500 tip for Prostitute A
$124 per person gold tournament at Mauna Kea
$463.40 cocktail party
$250 plus $85 per person for dinner
$2,009.97 dinner at The Capital Grille

From Mitchell Wade (a.k.a. "Co-conspirator #2"):

$500,000, which Cunningham deposited into a bank account controlled by a company owned by Thomas Kontogiannis, in order to pay off a mortgage issued by John Michael on Cunningham's Rancho Santa Fe Home
$115,100 paid to Top Gun Enterprises, Inc., to offset Cunningham's capital gains taxes owed on the sale of his Del Mar, Calif. home
$12,000 to antique store for the following, delivered to Cunningham:

3 nightstands
1 leaded glass cabinet
1 washstand
1 buffet
4 armoires

$50,000 paid to a company controlled by John Michael, which subsequently wrote a $50,000 check of its own to Cunningham
$6,632 to a furniture store for the following, delivered to Cunningham:

1 leather sofa
1 sleigh-style bed

$7,200 to antique store for the following, delivered to Cunningham:

Louis Phillipe period commode, c. 1850
Restoration period commode, 4-drawers, c. 1830

$13,500 personal check paid, which Cunningham used to buy a Rolls Royce
$17,890 corporate check to automotive repair shop for work on Cunningham's Rolls Royce.
$140,000 to buy "Duke-Stir" yacht, which Cunningham moved to his boat-slip
$16,867.13 corporate check to pay for services to Cunningham's "Kelly C" yacht
$2,000 corporate check for transportation of Cunningham's "Kelly C" yacht
$7,500 personal check yacht club fees
$1,119.95 corporate credit card to automotive shop for Rolls Royce repair fees
$3,000 corporate check
$30,000 corporate check
$8,000 off the price of a 1999 GMC Suburban truck, well below market price
$8,000 corporate check to Cunningham
$2,731.33 corporate checks for Cunningham's lodging and meals at a resort, plus:

$1,500 gift certificate with which Cunningham bought earrings
$400 Greenbrier charm and necklace.

$9,200 corporate check for two Laser Shot shooting simulators.
$19,025 personal check
$1.5 million for Cunningham's Del Mar home, $700,000 above market price
$175,000, additionally requested by Cunningham for purchase of Del Mar Home, making the total sale an inflated $1,675,000. Upon this second payment, Cunningham removed Wade's name from the sale to disguise his involvement.
$18,160.98 check for purchase of Cunningham's Del Mar home
$1,664,300 wire transfer to purchase Cunningham's Del Mar home
$115,100 corporate check
$11,393.56 corporate credit card for moving furniture from Cunningham's Arlington Condominium to Rancho Santa Fe Home.
$8,166.25 corporate credit card for Cunningham's charter jet, hotel, and meals
$2,081.30 corporate credit card for Cunningham's daughter's graduation party
$6,500 in cash
$18,000 corporate check
$171,000 corporate check to Cunningham transacted by Thomas Kontogiannis
$329,000 corporate check to Cunningham transacted by Thomas Kontogiannis
$15,200 corporate check or the following, delivered to Cunningham:

1 Indo Herati rug
1 Karaja rug
1 Indo Keshan rug
2 Cino Kerman rugs

More than $50,000 to antique store for additional furnishings including:

Silver candelabras
Glass vases
Antique armoires
Persian-style carpets
Custom oak and leaded glass doors

"Glock 9mm semiautomatic handgun"

Coconspirators #1 & #2, i.e. Brent Wilkes and Mitchell Wade, together:

More than $10,000 on resorts, hotels, and restaurants for meals and entertainment.

Thomas Kontogiannis (a.k.a. "Co-conspirator #3"):

$200,000 paid to company owned by John Michael as down payment for Cunningham's Arlington condominium.
$10,000 corporate check
$20,000 corporate check
$40,000 corporate check
$58,674.90 to CIT Group toward mortgage on Cunningham's yacht, "Kelly C"
$28,237.20 to Washington Mutual for Mortgage payments on Cunningham's Rancho Santa Fe Home

John T. Michael (a.k.a. "Co-conspirator #4"):

$50,000 personal check to Cunningham
$1,095,000 loan proceeds wire transferred to Cunningham for Rancho Santa Fe Home purchase

Research by Amram Migdal, Josh Hudelson, and Kate Redburn

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