Categories
· Settlements
· Fees
USA, by State
· Mississippi
|
Authorities look at expenses related to Scruggs settlement
Jump to full article: Jackson (MS) Clarion-Ledger, 2009-03-29
Author: Jerry Mitchell
Intro: Federal authorities who have been investigating judicial bribery cases in Mississippi are interested in the trail of money that leads from tobacco settlement expenses.
Dickie Scruggs, who pleaded guilty in two judicial bribery schemes, is cooperating with federal authorities. He earned $1 billion as chief negotiator of the tobacco settlement.
Scruggs' attorney, John Keker of San Francisco, denied federal authorities are exploring the matter.
Last week, a federal grand jury questioned witnesses regarding P.L. Blake, who earned $50 million from tobacco settlement expenses.
Five years ago, two attorneys, Alwyn Luckey and Bob Wilson, raised questions about some of those tobacco settlement expenses in their litigation against Scruggs, their former law partner.
Their attorney, Charlie Merkel of Clarksdale, said what they found in documents detailing the payments for tobacco settlement expenses was a veritable maze.
Jump to full article » |