| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Harry Hope" |
| Date: |
26 Mar 2006 01:08:52 PM |
| Object: |
Judge OKs Republican Abramoff subpoena in murder case |
From The Associated Press, 3/24/06:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/03/24/abramoff.subpoena.ap/index.html?section=cnn_allpolitics
Judge OKs Abramoff subpoena
Ex-lobbyist says he knows nothing about slaying of casino boss
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) --
A judge has approved subpoenas for former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and
an ex-business partner to answer questions about the mob-style slaying
of the owner of a gambling fleet they bought.
Abramoff and Adam Kidan have insisted, through their attorneys, that
they know nothing about the slaying of Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis, who
was ambushed in his car by a gunman in Fort Lauderdale a few months
after the pair bought SunCruz Casinos from him.
A lawyer for Anthony "Big Tony" Moscatiello, one of three men charged
in the 2001 slaying, wants to question Abramoff and Kidan, according
to court documents.
Circuit Judge Michael Kaplan approved the request Thursday, but the
subpoenas had not been issued by Friday morning.
The SunCruz purchase is "at the heart" of the murder case, Moscatiello
attorney Dave Bogenschutz said in court papers.
Abramoff and Kidan are not charged in the slaying but are scheduled to
be sentenced Wednesday in federal court after pleading guilty earlier
this year to fraud charges stemming from the purchase.
Their lawyers did not return telephone calls or e-mails seeking
comment Friday.
Abramoff, once a prominent Republican lobbyist and political
fundraiser, has also pleaded guilty to federal charges in a Washington
corruption investigation that threatens several powerful members of
Congress and their staff members.
As part of their federal plea deals, Abramoff and Kidan are required
to cooperate with prosecutors in any state or federal investigation.
Moscatiello, 67, allegedly has ties to New York's Gambino crime family
and worked as a consultant for Kidan at SunCruz.
Kidan paid companies linked to Moscatiello about $145,000 while he ran
SunCruz.
Prosecutors have said they believe Boulis was slain in a battle for
control of the gambling fleet out of concern that those payments might
dry up.
Moscatiello is charged along with Anthony "Little Tony" Ferrari, 49,
and 28-year-old James "Pudgy" Fiorillo in the Boulis killing.
All three have pleaded not guilty and could face the death penalty if
convicted.
Investigators have testified that records show that cell phones
belonging to Ferrari and Fiorillo were within 500 feet of the Boulis
murder scene moments after the killing and that one was used to call
Moscatiello.
Kaplan was scheduled to hear testimony Friday on a motion by
Moscatiello and Fiorillo claiming the prosecution's case isn't strong
enough to warrant keeping them in custody without bail.
Ferrari has not joined in that motion.
Abramoff and Kidan face prison sentences of just more than seven years
in the Florida fraud case.
They admitted fabricating a fake wire transfer to make it appear they
were putting a sizable chunk of their own money into the $147.5
million purchase of the gambling fleet.
_________________________________________________________
Sounds juicy.
Harry
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