WP: Plea Deal Near With 2nd Abramoff Associate (Kidan will cooperate)

Plea Deal Near With 2nd Abramoff Associate
Kidan Has Agreed to Cooperate in Probes

By Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, December 9, 2005; Page A08


Federal prosecutors have all but finalized a plea agreement with a second business partner of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff in exchange for cooperation in the ongoing criminal investigations of Abramoff, congressional aides and Rep. Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio), lawyers in the case said yesterday.

Adam Kidan, a longtime confidant of Abramoff's, has agreed to testify against Abramoff in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., next month when he is to face trial on fraud and conspiracy charges in connection with their purchase of a fleet of Florida casino boats. A Kidan plea would tie Abramoff's legal troubles in Florida more closely to the Washington investigation into his lobbying practices, pressuring Abramoff to reach a deal of his own that could implicate members of Congress and other government officials, lawyers involved in the case said.

More than two weeks ago, another Abramoff business partner -- public relations executive Michael Scanlon -- reached a plea deal in Washington and agreed to cooperate in the wide-ranging bribery probe.

Kidan, who has known Abramoff since their student days when they were members of the College Republicans, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud in connection with the purchase of the SunCruz fleet in the fall of 2000.

"Adam will testify against Abramoff and Ney if he is given an opportunity to do so," said Joseph Conway, an attorney for Kidan....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/08/AR2005120802232.html

but when a whiff of possible justice comes my way...I get very nervous. Interesting times.

Abramoff, DeLay, Cunningham, Kidan, Ney, who's next to get nailed in this web of criminals?

One of the partners in the $147.5 million SunCruz sale five years ago is expected to plead guilty next week to fraud charges, according to law enforcement sources.

<snip>

"Adam Kidan, the New York businessman who teamed up with a powerful Washington, D.C., lobbyist to buy SunCruz Casinos, has agreed to plead guilty to defrauding lenders in the $147.5 million purchase five years ago, according to sources familiar with the federal criminal case.

Kidan, 41, indicted along with Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, is expected to enter his plea next Thursday before a federal judge in Fort Lauderdale.

Several attempts to reach Kidan's attorneys Thursday were unsuccessful.

Abramoff, 46, is also discussing a possible plea deal with federal prosecutors, sources say."


more

in the Boulis case...

"According to an indictment returned in August, Abramoff and Kidan lied to lenders to qualify for a $60 million loan to buy the Broward County casino fleet from Konstantinos ''Gus'' Boulis. He was the former SunCruz owner, gunned down in February 2001 just five months after the sale.
In September, the Broward State Attorney's Office charged three men with Boulis' murder -- including one defendant with longtime ties to a New York organized crime family.
In court documents released last month, one of the men accused of conspiring to kill Gus Boulis blamed Kidan.
...All three, in the Broward County Jail, have pleaded not guilty. Kidan has not been charged in Boulis' killing. But the case is not considered closed by homicide detectives. Fort Lauderdale detectives have said additional arrests could be forthcoming.
Ferrari's and Moscatiello's only known ties to Boulis were through Kidan, a New York entrepreneur who bought SunCruz from Boulis about five months before the killing.
Court records show that Moscatiello and Ferrari were paid $250,000 by Kidan in the months before and after the slaying. Kidan has said he hired them for security and catering purposes."

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13364243.htm

This may be a signal that Kidan is going to roll over on HAT case for a lesser sentence as well....and THAT could make life very interesting for Abramoff and his chums.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/08/AR2005120802232.html?referrer=emailarticle

Kidan Has Agreed to Cooperate in Probes

By Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, December 9, 2005; Page A08

Federal prosecutors have all but finalized a plea agreement with a second business partner of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff in exchange for cooperation in the ongoing criminal investigations of Abramoff, congressional aides and Rep. Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio), lawyers in the case said yesterday.

Adam Kidan, a longtime confidant of Abramoff's, has agreed to testify against Abramoff in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., next month when he is to face trial on fraud and conspiracy charges in connection with their purchase of a fleet of Florida casino boats. A Kidan plea would tie Abramoff's legal troubles in Florida more closely to the Washington investigation into his lobbying practices, pressuring Abramoff to reach a deal of his own that could implicate members of Congress and other government officials, lawyers involved in the case said.

More than two weeks ago, another Abramoff business partner -- public relations executive Michael Scanlon -- reached a plea deal in Washington and agreed to cooperate in the wide-ranging bribery probe.

Kidan, who has known Abramoff since their student days when they were members of the College Republicans, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud in connection with the purchase of the SunCruz fleet in the fall of 2000.

{snip}

:popcorn:

:popcorn: