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Cunningham's Coconspirators

by TChris

Former Representative Randall "Duke" Cunningham, whose bribery conviction and resignation are discussed here, is rolling over on his coconspirators. Who will he bring down?

Cunningham's 33-page guilty plea Monday says the congressman worked with four coconspirators to take $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors and others over the past five years. The money went to pay for a San Diego estate, a Virginia condominium, a Rolls-Royce and a litany of other luxury items.

The plea agreement did not name the alleged conspirators, but details such as business addresses and occupations made some of their identities apparent. One was Mitchell Wade, former president of MZM Inc., a Washington, D.C., firm that does classified intelligence work for the military. The documents also suggest that another conspirator was Brent Wilkes, an associate of Wade's who headed a defense contracting company called ADCS Inc., which also provided campaign cash and favors to Cunningham while reaping valuable contracts.

Another coconspirator appears to be New York developer Thomas Kontogiannis. Cunningham wrote to prosecutors in 2000 on Kontogiannis' behalf when the developer was under investigation in a bribery and kickback scheme involving school computer contracts. Kontogiannis ultimately pleaded guilty to fraud charges.

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  • Re: Cunningham's Coconspirators (none / 0) (#1)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:30 PM EST
    Why am I not surprised? Punks always roll over when they get pinched.

    Re: Cunningham's Coconspirators (none / 0) (#2)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:30 PM EST
    I hope he doesn't get TOO much of a sentence reduction for singing. He deserves the ten years he could get, but I'd settle for five. The shameless and glib way the system was openly subverted here warrants stiff punishment. BUT...only the village idiot would think this kind of graft stops at the stern of the Duke-stir. I'll have some Tom Delay for dessert, please. Pretty please?