racketeering

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Indictment: Philly Cops Went Rogue, Made a Fortune

Feds say 6 narcotics officers stole $500K in cash, drugs

(Newser) - Six officers in Philadelphia's Narcotics Field Unit were among the biggest crooks in the city over a six-year period in which they used violence and threats to steal more than $500,000 in cash and drugs, according to a federal indictment. The 26-count indictment against the six men, who...

Whitey Bulger Found Guilty of Racketeering

Bulger acquitted on some murders, convicted on others

(Newser) - James "Whitey" Bulger has been found guilty of a raft of racketeering charges that carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. The jury also found that the state had proven Bulger's guilt in 11 of the 19 murders he was accused of, along with several instances of...

Ex-Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick Found Guilty

Kwame Kilpatrick headed back to prison after racketeering conviction

(Newser) - Kwame Kilpatrick is headed back to prison after a jury today convicted the former Detroit mayor and rising Democrat star on a host of corruption-related charges, including racketeering conspiracy, extortion, mail fraud, and tax charges. Kilpatrick shook his head as the verdicts were read out, the Detroit Free Press reports....

Wall Street Scammer Ducks Prison by Working for CIA

Felix Sater tracked down Stinger missiles on the black market

(Newser) - A Russian businessman charged with cheating investors on Wall Street struck a deal with the CIA: Reduce my punishment to nearly nothing, and I'll help you buy missiles on Russia's black market, the Miami Herald reports. Felix Sater apparently pulled off the plan, tracking down the Stinger missiles...

Feds Want Big Tobacco to Admit It Lied

...in print, and pretty explicitly

(Newser) - The federal government wants tobacco companies to admit they lied about the addictiveness of nicotine and the benefits of light cigarettes—in print, and pretty explicitly. On Wednesday, a federal judge unsealed a government proposal that would have tobacco companies cop to the lies in national ads and on cigarette...

Feds Focus Crime Probe on Karzai Brother

Afghan president's bro linked to tax evasion, extortion

(Newser) - Federal prosecutors in New York have launched a corruption investigation into business operations belonging to Afghan president Hamid Karzai's brother. Mamood Karzai, who is a US citizen, is being probed for tax evasion, extortion, and racketeering that may be linked in part to US loans he obtained to build his...

Jersey Shore Slapped With Racketeering Lawsuit

Bodyguard takedown triggers explosive charges

(Newser) - Oh, Snooks, you've really done it this time. A Jersey resident who charges she was thrown to the ground by four Jersey Shore bodyguards after a spat with the top-heavy reality star and her chums is suing the cast and MTV for racketeering. The woman, identified only as JP, claims...

'Teflon Gotti Jr.' Dodges 5th Trial

Feds drop racketeering case against Don Gotti's spawn

(Newser) - Federal prosecutors have given up on trying to make racketeering charges stick against John Gotti Jr. Gotti—chip off the old block and son of the late "Teflon Don" John Gotti Sr.—was tried four times on murder and racketeering charges, and all of them ended in hung...

Gotti Dodges Conviction for 4th Time

Mob racketeering charges don't stick to Teflon Don's son

(Newser) - Mob son John "Junior" Gotti has evaded conviction again, walking free yesterday after his fourth racketeering trial in five years ended in a fourth hung jury. Charges against Gotti, the son of the notorious Gambino crime family boss, included murder, kidnapping, robbery, extortion and drug dealing. "Why me?...

Ex-Rep. Jefferson Sentenced to 13 Years
 Ex-Rep. Jefferson 
 Sentenced to 
 13 Years  
cold hard cash
Nov 13, 2009 5:19 PM CST

Ex-Rep. Jefferson Sentenced to 13 Years

Pol busted with $90K in freezer betrays little emotion

(Newser) - A federal judge sentenced former Congressman William Jefferson to 13 years in prison today, less than the 27-plus years prosecutors called for but more than the 10-year term the Louisiana Democrat's lawyer wanted. Jefferson, who was convicted in August of 11 of the 16 counts relating to the public corruption...

Cigarette Companies Lied, Appeals Court Rules

(Newser) - Tobacco companies engaged in “deceits” and knowingly marketed cigarettes without regard for consumers’ health, violating civil racketeering laws, a federal appeals court ruled today. In upholding the verdict in a landmark case brought by the Clinton Justice Department in 1999, the court refused to overturn a district judge’s...

Lawsuit Targets Cruise, Scientology 'Crime Syndicate'

Files harassment lawsuit under federal RICO statute

(Newser) - An ex-Scientologist says the organization is a “crime syndicate” in a $250 million federal lawsuit that names Tom Cruise as the head honcho's "right-hand man," reports the Daily News. The suit uses a statute designed to counter organized crime in an attempt to have the Church of...

Hollywood Private Eye Found Guilty

'Ultimate problem solver' Pellicano faces hefty term after racketeering conviction

(Newser) - Celebrity private detective Anthony Pellicano was found guilty today of 76 of the 77 charges he faced, including racketeering, wire fraud, and illegal wiretapping, the Los Angeles Times reports. Pellicano, 64, could face a life sentence after prosecutors won conviction on charges he illegally threatened and placed several prominent celebrities...

Gambler Sues Casinos for $20M
Gambler Sues Casinos for $20M
Mar 9, 2008 5:30 AM CDT

Gambler Sues Casinos for $20M

Gambling 'addict' says dens failed to stop her from blowing $1 million

(Newser) - A former New York attorney is suing seven casinos for $20 million, claiming they helped woo her to the tables, and let her continue to play and lose despite an obvious gambling addiction. Workers at Atlantic City and Las Vegas gambling dens should have stopped her from blowing $1 million...

Private Eye's Assistant Spills on Stand

Arranged wiretaps, transcribed tapes for Hollywood's Pellicano

(Newser) - A former assistant to Anthony Pellicano, improbably named Tarita Virtue, told a packed courtoom yesterday that she transcribed many wiretapped conversations for the Hollywood private eye, Variety reports. She explained Pellicano's wiretapping process step by step, and described the detective's security system, including punch-code locks on every room  and files...

Swindler Black Ordered to Jail
Swindler Black Ordered to Jail
Feb 29, 2008 4:00 AM CST

Swindler Black Ordered to Jail

Court rules tycoon must spend appeal process in prison

(Newser) - Former media tycoon Conrad Black, convicted of swindling millions from his newspaper empire, will be behind bars by Monday night, reports the Chicago Sun-Tribune. A Chicago court ruled that he couldn't remain free on bail while awaiting a decision on his appeal. Black has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years in...

South African Leader Indicted for Corruption

Lawyer calls charges 'politically motivated'; party crisis intensifies

(Newser) - South African prosecutors hit a new ruling party leader with corruption charges today, threatening his shot at the presidency and risking a prolonged legal and political crisis, the Guardian reports. ANC leader Jacob Zuma was ordered to stand trial next year on charges including racketeering and fraud linked to a...

Ex-Ill. Governor Must Report to Federal Prison

Justice Stevens denies Ryan's last-ditch bid to remain free on bail

(Newser) - George Ryan will report to prison tomorrow after Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens today refused the ex-Illinois governor's request to stay free on bail while fighting a corruption conviction. Ryan, 73, will begin serving his 6½-year sentence in a Wisconsin prison, the Chicago Tribune reports. He was convicted...

Jefferson Pleads Not Guilty
Jefferson Pleads Not Guilty
Jun 8, 2007 12:13 PM CDT

Jefferson Pleads Not Guilty

Congressman answers federal corruption charges with pledge to 'fight my heart out'

(Newser) - In his first public appearance since being indicted Monday, Rep. William Jefferson pleaded not guilty in federal court in this morning. The Louisiana Democrat, facing a laundry list of charges including bribery, racketeering, and obstruction of justice, then held a press conference in which he reeled off his family's achievements...

House Moves to Expel Accused Congressman

Louisiana Democrat charged with bribery, extortion

(Newser) - Pressure mounted on William Jefferson to resign from the House yesterday as leaders of both parties piled on in the wake of his indictment on corruption, racketeering and bribery charges. Republicans moved to initiate proceedings to have the Louisiana Democrat, expelled—which, Dems noted, they did not do when GOP...

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