A former lawyer charged with stealing $30 million from Adams & Reese law firm has made allegations against federal prosecutors that could impact the case against Edwin Edwards.
In court papers filed late last week, Jamie Perdigao alleges that former Treasure Chest Casino owner Robert Guidry paid more than $1 million in bribes to U.S. Rep. William Jefferson in hopes of securing leniency from then-U.S. Attorney Eddie Jordan—a Jefferson pal. Perdigao also insists Guidry paid off Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Harper for the same purpose. Guidry eventually pleaded guilty to bribing Edwards to get a riverboat license and his testimony helped put the former governor behind bars. He spent five months in a halfway house; the state of Louisiana has tried without success to recoup money from him.
Alexandria lawyer Mike Small says he discussed Perdigao’s claims with Edwards on Monday and plans to meet with him later this week to discuss options. But he says it’s too early to predict what, if any, legal response might result. “Mr. Perdigao’s pleadings are very interesting and frankly quite disturbing,” Small says. “If true, they actually support the position we took on appeal that the federal prosecutors failed to disclose to the defense the extent of the deal struck with Mr. Guidry.” Edwards finishes serving his sentence in July 2011.
Perdigao—who wants the New Orleans federal prosecutors’ office recused from his own case—claims he disclosed the bribes and other allegations of criminal activity to federal investigators after he was arrested in 2004, but they never looked into the matter. New Orleans U.S. Attorney Jim Letten told Daily Report on Tuesday that his office “has filed a response and will continue to take a very, very strong and unambiguous stance regarding what we regard as reckless and maliciously false claims made by Mr. Perdigao and his counsel in this matter, and we hope and believe we will receive a swift resolution of this matter in the U.S. District Court.”
An eight-page response filed Monday says prosecutors forwarded the tips to the Department of Justice in Washington for independent review. The Office of Public Integrity closed its investigation into the matter a year ago after concluding the claims were unfounded. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Mann refers to Perdigao’s motion as “a shell of a vehicle giving expression to his unsupported vitriol against his accusers and victims.”
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While at Adams & Reese, Perdigao represented gaming firms. He is accused of stealing $30 million from a client trust account and moving it into a Swiss bank account. In last week court papers, Perdigao accuses the New Orleans firm of helping Guidry hide his money from the government in an offshore trust in the Cook Islands. In a written statement Tuesday, Adams & Reese managing partner Charles P. Adams Jr. says the firm categorically denies Perdigao’s claims. “Nowhere in the papers Perdigao filed with the court does he deny his wrongdoing,” Adams says. “He admitted he stole millions of dollars which he turned over only after being caught. Perdigao is lashing out at those who are holding him accountable for his actions—our firm who caught him and the government who is prosecuting him.”-- Penny Brown
Comments
Posted by BarbaraAnnJackson on April 27, 2008 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
-by Barbara Ann Jackson, Law & Grace, Inc.
Defendant Jamie Perdigao's Motion to recuse U.S. Attorney Jim Letten contained much eye-popping information -particularly about the unworthy of praise Jim Letten.
Letten’s office responded to Perdigao’s motion with customary obfuscation, he appeared to scowl at the motion, and exhibiting his adept deviation skills said: “We're no strangers to these types of claims." When Letten is tooting his own horn about his selective prosecutions he has a lot to say, but he seeks to suppress unfavorable information about him. Good thing Letten’s request to seal Perdigao’s motion was denied!
I personally believe Letten’s office illegally wiretaps people’s phones, and to conceal eavesdropping, they lie and say people snitched on each other. I also believe Letten is trying to be on the inside of New Orleans’ Inspector General, Robert Cerasoli, for purposes of receiving and “cooking” Cerasoli’s Intelligence for purposes such use for leverage over people –perhaps like leverage is being used on Johns listed in the Canal Street Brothel book. Significantly, Letten conducted the Brothel raid while the world was stunned by the September 11 terrorist attacks. Also, information surrounding Edwin Edwards’ conviction indicates Letten broke laws to get Edwards. Further, in a Texas Court Opinion, starting from pages 29 through 41, read the disturbing details about Letten’s deceitful, illicit actions. SEE: http://www.txs.uscourts.gov/notablecases...
With his “Operation Wrinkled Robe” and “Bail Bonds Unlimited” prosecutions that sent 2 state judges, sheriffs, and others to jail Letten practically fooled everybody. Yet, a comparison of Letten’s overlooking other guilty people gives him away. For me, Letten’s deception was crystal clear when he broke laws to shield Judge A. J. McNamara. Then I started comparing Letten’s actions concerning Senator Vitter, Judge Thomas Porteous, and various corporations which may have netted billions of dollars from White Collar activity. For all such reasons, as long as Letten is associated with judicial systems, improvement in the legal climate is vastly unlikely -and BANANA REPUBLIC rules! **For more facts & proof of appalling New Orleans Judicial Corruption, visit:www.lawgrace.org.
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