This "Asset Search News Roundup" is about "politically exposed persons" who are accused of hiding cash during alleged bribe-taking.  One such person is Governor José Roberto Arruda of Brasilia.  "Brazil in shock as secret video catches ‘corrupt’ governor red-handed", reports that Brazilian Federal Police in "Operation Pandora" possess surveillance video

This "Asset Search News Roundup" mentions the sentence of a former Louisiana congressman and the 14,700 U.S. taxpayers who sought partial amnesty from the IRS:

  • A November 13th FBI press release explained that Former Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson was sentenced to thirteen years in prison for public corruption and other crimes.  As I discussed at

A complaint verified by Former Premier Michael Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands, claims hip- hop pioneers David Mays and Raymond Scott breached the Z & M Media LLC operating agreement, at Exhibit “A”.  The Former Premier, Mr. Mays, Mr. Scott and others, are believed to hold ownership interests in Z & M Media, which is the operating company for the biweekly  “Hip Hop Weekly Magazine“.

The complaint additionally seeks damages for more than a million dollars from Mr. Mays and Mr. Scott because of an alleged fraud / embezzlement scheme. Amended Complaint at ¶¶ 161-164.  It asserts that Mr. Mays and Mr. Scott might have misappropriated cash from Z & M Media. Id. at ¶¶ 33-44.

In responding to the complaint, Mr. Mays denied any wrongdoing via his opposing affidavit.  He also stated that Hip Hop Weekly was “the bible of the hip hop industry” with an estimated readership of one million. Opposing Affidavit ¶4.  Since February 2009, the magazine has been sold by the “CVS” chain and at many other retailers throughout the U.S., according to a letter from its distributor:

(Click On The Letter To Enlarge It)

On April 20, 2009 the Court issued a temporary restraining order against Mr. Mays and Mr. Scott, which prohibited any violation of the above-mentioned operating agreement.  This restraint was continued by the Court’s Order dated May 19, 2009.  Via their July 14, 2009 answer, counterclaim and third-party complaint, Mr. Mays and Mr. Scott however, alleged that the Former Premier had unjustifiably brought the complaint to gain complete control of Z & M Media.  The Former Premier would then supposedly sell Z & M Media and its assets to fund his defense against a “likely criminal prosecution by the British government“. (Answer, Counterclaim & Third-Party Complaint, at pp. 23-24, ¶3).Continue Reading Target Of Corruption Probe Sues Hip-Hoppers For Supposed Fraud

As I previously mentioned at the December 5, 2008 "Asset Search News Roundup", former NYPD Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik is alleged to have been involved in a public corruption scheme and tax fraud.  Mr. Kerik’s superseding indictment in U.S.A. v. Bernard B. Kerik, 07-cr-1027, accuses him of trying to secure city contracts for a New Jersey company which had supposedly paid him illegally through apartment renovations.

Mr. Kerik could have accepted some of this alleged illegal payment after being sworn in as New York City’s 40th police commissioner.  He is also accused of concealing the same by failing to report it as taxable income and may have taken false deductions in a tax fraud.  Sup. Indict. ¶¶ 20 (c) & 28-31.  

Although Mr. Kerik had been freed because of the $500,000 bail package mentioned at "Former NYC police chief Kerik jailed before trial", he was remanded by an October 20, 2009 Order revoking the conditions of his supervised release.  Before issuing this Order, the Court presumably considered the Government’s October 14, 2009 letter:

 

(To Read The Above Letter, Click On It)Continue Reading Bernard Kerik Is Jailed While His Trial Is Delayed

A U.S. Army Sergeant pleads guilty to taking bribes, then trying to conceal them in a money laundering conspiracy and $32.8 million in U.S. currency is interdicted because of “Project Coronado”:

 *A U.S. Department of Justice press release describes the conviction of Army Sergeant Ana C. Chavez for a public corruption scheme which had bribery

The "Asset Search News" for this week discusses my interview by AssetForfeitureWatch.com; Transparency International’s press release about Kenyan police corruption; and the file assistant who pleaded guilty to computer intrusions in violation of U.S. privacy law.

+AssetForfeitureWatch.com provides the law enforcement community with training / support in the area of asset forfeiture.  Last Tuesday