Lobbyist Denies Guilt in Casino Purchase - Friday 12th of August 2005
Jack Abramoff, the Republican lobbyist whose ties to prominent members of Congress are under scrutiny by the Justice Department, pleaded not guilty yesterday in an unrelated case involving his purchase of a fleet of casino boats.
Mr. Abramoff, free on bond, did not appear for the hearing, held at the federal courthouse in Miami. The plea was entered by his lawyer, Neal R. Sonnett, who said afterward that Mr. Abramoff "committed no fraud."
Mr. Abramoff was indicted Aug. 11 by a federal grand jury in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on wire fraud and conspiracy charges. The indictment accuses him and a business partner, Adam R. Kidan, of presenting lenders a counterfeit document suggesting that they had arranged a $23 million wire transfer to the seller as part of the $147.5 million purchase of the shipping line, SunCruz Casinos. The transfer had been required by the lenders, who were helping underwrite the purchase and who wanted evidence that Mr. Abramoff and Mr. Kidan had come up with $23 million of their own money.
Mr. Sonnett yesterday confirmed news reports that the Fort Lauderdale police had recently asked to interview Mr. Abramoff in connection with the unsolved killing of the seller, Konstantinos Boulis, who was shot to death in 2001 amid bitter wrangling over the sale.
Law enforcement officials have not suggested that Mr. Abramoff is tied to Mr. Bouliss killing, and Mr. Sonnett said Mr. Abramoff "has no knowledge of the facts of the murder."
In a separate inquiry, federal prosecutors in Washington are reviewing accusations that Mr. Abramoff defrauded Indian tribes in connection with multimillion-dollar contracts that provided for him to lobby on behalf of their gambling operations.
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