Wilkerson freed on $50G bond after extortion arrest
By Jessica Fargen, Mike Underwood and Laurel J. Sweet
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - Updated 5m ago
State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson was set free this afternoon on a $50,000 bond after appearing in federal court on attempted extortion charges following a ?painstaking? 18-month investigation, during which she was allegedly caught on tape stuffing a cash bribe into her bra, according to a complaint.
?Dianne Wilkerson accepted these cash payments in exchange for her official duties and responsibilities,? said U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan during a morning news conference at the federal courthouse.
Wilkerson, who was carrying $6,000 in her purse when she was arrested today, faces charges of attempted extortion and theft of honest services as a state senator, stemming from a money-for-legislation sting operation, officials said.
A federal criminal complaint alleges that Wilkerson was busted for accepting eight bribes, totaling $23,500, in exchange for her influence on Beacon Hill.
One undercover video shows Wilkerson allegedly taking $1,000 in cash from an undercover agent and stuffing it into her bra during a June 2007 lunch at No. 9 Park.
Wilkerson also allegedly used one $1,000 bribe to treat herself to a night of gambling and dining at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut.
She is due back in court Nov. 17 in Worcester for a probable cause hearing. She did not enter a plea at today?s ?initial appearance? on her criminal complaint.
Wilkerson appeared before U.S. District Court Magistrate Timothy S. Hillman this afternoon dressed in a raspberry top and black slacks.
Wilkerson, 53, is under court order to not lose or destroy any documents, including her cable TV bill.
Wilkerson?s attorney Max Stern called the government?s case a character assassination.
?It?s totally limitless,? Stern said of the court orders, adding it will include what she spends ?on groceries.? He also said the $6,000 Wilkerson had in her purse today was for ?expenses.?
?We?re going to take a look at her finances carefully to see if she?s reporting her taxes correctly,? said Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. McNeil.
The complaint alleges that:
? In exchange for payment, Wilkerson pressured the Boston Licensing Board, the mayor and the City Council and held up pending legislation in the Senate, including legislation increasing the salaries of the Boston Licensing Board.
? Wilkerson ultimately introduced legislation to increase the number of liquor licenses available in Boston, and then manipulated the timing of that legislation at the request of undercover agents.
? Between June 2007 and March 2008, Wilkerson took $8,500 in cash payments from an undercover agent and a cooperating witness to assist in obtaining a liquor license for the Dejavu nightclub in Roxbury.
? Wilkerson proposed that an undercover agent, posing as an out-of-state businessman, become involved in the development of a piece of state property in Roxbury.
? Wilkerson proposed legislation that directly designated a property to a private entity for development in order to avoid the ordinary bidding process.
Wilkerson left her Roxbury home this morning with about 20 law enforcement officers, according to neighbors. One neighbor said her hands were behind her back.
Wilkerson was defeated in the Democratic primary by Sonia Chang-Diaz, but has launched a sticker campaign in the general election. This morning, four Wilkerson supporters who stood across the street from her Roxbury home, handed out political brochures in support of Wilkerson?s sticker campaign.
A message left at Wilkerson?s State House office this morning was not immediately returned.
Wilkerson has weathered her fair share of scandals during her 15 years in office, but these latest allegations are the most serious. If convicted, the senator could face up to 20 years in prison on each count.
In August, Wilkerson agreed to pay a $10,000 fine and forgo about $30,000 in debts she said her political committee owed her after acknowledging she failed to keep proper campaign records from 2000 to 2004.
Wilkerson has also spent time in a halfway house for federal income-tax evasion and narrowly escaped home foreclosure.
Wilkerson graduated from Springfield?s American International College, earned a law degree from Boston College and was sworn in as the state?s first female black senator in 1993.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, who said he was briefed by the FBI on the case yesterday, said today, ?It?s a very sad day.?
By Jessica Fargen, Mike Underwood and Laurel J. Sweet
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - Updated 5m ago
State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson was set free this afternoon on a $50,000 bond after appearing in federal court on attempted extortion charges following a ?painstaking? 18-month investigation, during which she was allegedly caught on tape stuffing a cash bribe into her bra, according to a complaint.
?Dianne Wilkerson accepted these cash payments in exchange for her official duties and responsibilities,? said U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan during a morning news conference at the federal courthouse.
Wilkerson, who was carrying $6,000 in her purse when she was arrested today, faces charges of attempted extortion and theft of honest services as a state senator, stemming from a money-for-legislation sting operation, officials said.
A federal criminal complaint alleges that Wilkerson was busted for accepting eight bribes, totaling $23,500, in exchange for her influence on Beacon Hill.
One undercover video shows Wilkerson allegedly taking $1,000 in cash from an undercover agent and stuffing it into her bra during a June 2007 lunch at No. 9 Park.
Wilkerson also allegedly used one $1,000 bribe to treat herself to a night of gambling and dining at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut.
She is due back in court Nov. 17 in Worcester for a probable cause hearing. She did not enter a plea at today?s ?initial appearance? on her criminal complaint.
Wilkerson appeared before U.S. District Court Magistrate Timothy S. Hillman this afternoon dressed in a raspberry top and black slacks.
Wilkerson, 53, is under court order to not lose or destroy any documents, including her cable TV bill.
Wilkerson?s attorney Max Stern called the government?s case a character assassination.
?It?s totally limitless,? Stern said of the court orders, adding it will include what she spends ?on groceries.? He also said the $6,000 Wilkerson had in her purse today was for ?expenses.?
?We?re going to take a look at her finances carefully to see if she?s reporting her taxes correctly,? said Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. McNeil.
The complaint alleges that:
? In exchange for payment, Wilkerson pressured the Boston Licensing Board, the mayor and the City Council and held up pending legislation in the Senate, including legislation increasing the salaries of the Boston Licensing Board.
? Wilkerson ultimately introduced legislation to increase the number of liquor licenses available in Boston, and then manipulated the timing of that legislation at the request of undercover agents.
? Between June 2007 and March 2008, Wilkerson took $8,500 in cash payments from an undercover agent and a cooperating witness to assist in obtaining a liquor license for the Dejavu nightclub in Roxbury.
? Wilkerson proposed that an undercover agent, posing as an out-of-state businessman, become involved in the development of a piece of state property in Roxbury.
? Wilkerson proposed legislation that directly designated a property to a private entity for development in order to avoid the ordinary bidding process.
Wilkerson left her Roxbury home this morning with about 20 law enforcement officers, according to neighbors. One neighbor said her hands were behind her back.
Wilkerson was defeated in the Democratic primary by Sonia Chang-Diaz, but has launched a sticker campaign in the general election. This morning, four Wilkerson supporters who stood across the street from her Roxbury home, handed out political brochures in support of Wilkerson?s sticker campaign.
A message left at Wilkerson?s State House office this morning was not immediately returned.
Wilkerson has weathered her fair share of scandals during her 15 years in office, but these latest allegations are the most serious. If convicted, the senator could face up to 20 years in prison on each count.
In August, Wilkerson agreed to pay a $10,000 fine and forgo about $30,000 in debts she said her political committee owed her after acknowledging she failed to keep proper campaign records from 2000 to 2004.
Wilkerson has also spent time in a halfway house for federal income-tax evasion and narrowly escaped home foreclosure.
Wilkerson graduated from Springfield?s American International College, earned a law degree from Boston College and was sworn in as the state?s first female black senator in 1993.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, who said he was briefed by the FBI on the case yesterday, said today, ?It?s a very sad day.?
