Originally published February 12 2006
Abramoff pleads guilty to conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Abramoff's plea agreement negates the possibility of a maximum 30-year sentence, provided he assists in the corruption probe. He faces up to 11 years in federal prison and has to pay $26.7 million in restitution.
She said Abramoff admitted to corrupting government officials and defrauding his own clients out of $25 million.
Abramoff admitted that he did not disclose receiving kickbacks on payments from Native American tribes to a partner's public relations firm.
Abramoff and his politically connected partner, public relations expert Michael Scanlon, jokingly referred to their scheme as the "Gimme Five Program," Fisher said.
Abramoff's plea agreement spares him the possibility of a maximum 30-year sentence if he provides useful assistance in the corruption probe.
As part of the deal, Abramoff agreed to cooperate with the IRS on his tax evasion charge and pay the agency $1.72 million.
Washington lawyer Abbe Lowell said in a statement that Abramoff will cooperate with prosecutors, repay "anyone he has harmed," and "seek absolution from all."
Court documents filed Tuesday describe how Abramoff and Scanlon cheated clients of Abramoff's lobbying firm by urging them to use Scanlon's PR firm -- which in turn paid Abramoff millions of dollars in kickbacks.
Abramoff is a longtime associate of several top GOP leaders, including former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Americans for Tax Reform director Grover Norquist, and former Christian Coalition chief Ralph Reed.
Another source, a senior government official, told CNN the probe involves about two dozen lawmakers and staffers.
Ney is known to have entered comments in the Congressional Record against a man standing in the way of an Abramoff project -- a 2000 casino fleet purchase -- and he took a 2002 golf trip to Scotland that Abramoff sponsored.
Ney is the only member of Congress to disclose that he has been subpoenaed -- a step required under House rules -- as part of the investigation.
DeLay, who is facing unrelated money laundering charges, was forced by party rules to step down from his leadership position in September after he was indicted in Texas.
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