The Kwame Kilpatrick Mega Thread

LodgeDodger · June-23-10, 02:10 PM

Kilpatrick indicted by feds on 19 mail fraud, tax counts

By M.L. ELRICK
Free Press Staff Writer

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick

has been indicted on 19 federal counts ranging from mail fraud to wire fraud to tax evasion, the Free Press has learned.

Come back to freep.com for updates.
http://www.freep.com/article/2010062...aud-tax-counts

And so it begins...

**eastsidechris** · June-23-10, 02:12 PM

Just heard on WWJ:
The U.S. District Attorney's office has just announced that a grand jury has indicted Kwame on 19 counts, ranging from wire fraud, mail fraud, filing a false tax report and tax evasion.

**Luckystrikes** · June-23-10, 02:57 PM

Heard that more indictments will be served soon, including his father and a business associate.

**Crumbled_pavement** · June-23-10, 05:00 PM

Some of you won't understand me saying this but this indictment thing makes me mad. Yes, it sure does. They are basing these indictments on activities that span 11 years. Why didn't they indict back in '99 so that we would have never had to live the nightmare that is Kwame? And why can't we indict Carolyn Buttcheeks-Kilpatrick as well?

**Zacha341** · June-23-10, 05:11 PM

Interesting point. Yeah, that's "stamp collecting" for a long time. Why was the delay? Is there more to come, more people to go down as rationale for the delay??

Originally Posted by Crumbled_pavement

Some of you won't understand me saying this but this indictment thing makes me mad. Yes, it sure does. They are basing these indictments on activities that span 11 years. Why didn't they indict back in '99 so that we would have never had to live the nightmare that is Kwame? And why can't we indict Carolyn Buttcheeks-Kilpatrick as well?

**Meddle** · June-23-10, 05:17 PM

http://detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?t=6043

**Russix** · June-23-10, 05:18 PM

I also question why the long delay. Either they didn't have enough solid evidence to prosecute until now or every investigation opened up new leads to other crimes requiring further investigation.

**Bobl** · June-23-10, 02:25 PM

And so it begins, indeed!
The Feds, who move slowly and deliberately, will be moving on to bigger fish, I believe. The culture of pay to play was begun long before Kilpatrick arrived, by what some call the McNamara Machine. This could become really interesting...

**daddeeo** · June-23-10, 02:27 PM

I guess that hard rain IS gonna fall!!!!

**1KielsonDrive** · June-23-10, 08:05 PM

[quote=Bobl;157154]And so it begins, indeed!
The Feds, who move slowly and deliberately, will be moving on to bigger fish, I believe. The culture of pay to play was begun long before Kilpatrick arrived, by what some call the McNamara Machine. This could become really interesting...[/quote]
This is the key to this whole mess. McNamara escaped by death. The Kilpatricks were part of McNamara's machine which was being scrutinized a long time ago. They should've jumped ship but continued down their dirt road long after Ed's death. Don't forget our governor. She was in the middle of this too, whether or not she was a part of it. Really interesting, indeed.....

Retroit · June-23-10, 08:15 PM

A lot of good that prayer rally for Kwame did. Poor "negro".

**Danny** · June-23-10, 02:26 PM

YAY! Here we go again. Judge Groner must shaking his head and said 'Oh S^*T! I have to deal with this man again!'

**leland_palmer** · June-23-10, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

YAY! Here we go again. Judge Groner must shaking his head and said 'Oh S^*T! I have to deal with this man again!'

This case will be in Federal Court. Groner won't hear it.

Interesting tidbit: Kwame used some of the Civic Fund money on "counter-surveillance and anti-bugging equipment."

**Brittz** · June-23-10, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by leland_palmer

This case will be in Federal Court. Groner won't hear it.

Interesting tidbit: Kwame used some of the Civic Fund money on "counter-surveillance and anti-bugging equipment."

Thanks for the correction. Little kk may want to be in federal prison right about now.
What a waste this man has proven to be.

**kenp** · June-23-10, 02:51 PM

Get him on tax fraud just like Capone. They must assume thats the easiest route.

**guito13** · June-23-10, 02:58 PM

This just in:

Recent reports of an earthquake were incorrect. The recent ground movements were that of Kwame falling out of his chair after being handed the indictments.

**smogboy** · June-23-10, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by guito13

This just in:

Recent reports of an earthquake were incorrect. The recent ground movements were that of Kwame falling out of his chair after being handed the indictments.

If that's the case, it would've been much higher on the Richter Scale.

**kryptonite** · June-24-10, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by smogboy

If that's the case, it would've been much higher on the Richter Scale.

Smogboy, thanks for the great laugh! Something similar came to mind when I read the post that resulted in yours. But what I came up with was no way as entertainig as your reply.

**bopcity** · June-23-10, 03:08 PM

Mike Paul doing his best Baghdad Bob ...

Detroit --A spokesman for Kwame Kilpatrick says today's 19-charge corruption indictment vindicates the former mayor.
"The FBI did a thorough three-year investigation into former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Where is the corruption, payoffs and bribes everyone expected the FBI to find attached to former Mayor Kilpatrick and his office as Mayor?" said Mike Paul, Kilpatrick's spokesman, in a written statement.

http://detnews.com/article/20100623/...othing--on-him

**artds** · June-23-10, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by bopcity

Mike Paul doing his best Baghdad Bob ...

Detroit --A spokesman for Kwame Kilpatrick says today's 19-charge corruption indictment vindicates the former mayor.
"The FBI did a thorough three-year investigation into former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Where is the corruption, payoffs and bribes everyone expected the FBI to find attached to former Mayor Kilpatrick and his office as Mayor?" said Mike Paul, Kilpatrick's spokesman, in a written statement.

http://detnews.com/article/20100623/...othing--on-him

Not so fast there, Mr. Paul.

It's definitely a surprise to everyone to see that there's nothing in the indictment regarding bribery or corruption.

HOWEVER, it's entirely possible that the government's intention is to try Kwame on those particular charges as a co-conspirator under a racketeering scheme, which may come later. To nail Kwame as a co-conspirator under a racketeering scheme, the government would only need to prove the existence of a conspiracy and have enough evidence to charge one of the co-conspirators with a RICO crime [[such as bribery or extortion). This would be a logical strategy for the government if they have a significant amount of evidence against some, but not all, of the co-conspirators.

So, for example, if the government were to later bring bribery and/or extortion charges against Bernard Kilpatrick regarding his involvement with Maestro Associates, they could name Kwame as a co-conspirator and nail both of them even if there's not much evidence that Kwame personally and directly committed any RICO crimes, so long as the government can show that Kwame committed acts [[or even that he merely intended to commit acts) in furtherance of the conspiracy.

**bailey** · June-23-10, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by artds

Not so fast there, Mr. Paul.

It's definitely a surprise to everyone to see that there's nothing in the indictment regarding bribery or corruption.

HOWEVER, it's entirely possible that the government's intention is to try Kwame on those particular charges as a co-conspirator under a racketeering scheme, which may come later. To nail Kwame as a co-conspirator under a racketeering scheme, the government would only need to prove the existence of a conspiracy and have enough evidence to charge one of the co-conspirators with a RICO crime [[such as bribery or extortion). This would be a logical strategy for the government if they have a significant amount of evidence against some, but not all, of the co-conspirators.

So, for example, if the government were to later bring bribery and/or extortion charges against Bernard Kilpatrick regarding his involvement with Maestro Associates, they could name Kwame as a co-conspirator and nail both of them even if there's not much evidence that Kwame personally and directly committed any RICO crimes, so long as the government can show that Kwame committed acts [[or even that he merely intended to commit acts) in furtherance of the conspiracy.

And Al Capone went away on tax evasion charges, that doesn't mean he was innocent of everything else. The feds are bringing the charges they know they can prove and will put him away. going for everything else is pointless.

LodgeDodger · June-23-10, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by artds

Not so fast there, Mr. Paul.

It's definitely a surprise to everyone to see that there's nothing in the indictment regarding bribery or corruption.

HOWEVER, it's entirely possible that the government's intention is to try Kwame on those particular charges as a co-conspirator under a racketeering scheme, which may come later. To nail Kwame as a co-conspirator under a racketeering scheme, the government would only need to prove the existence of a conspiracy and have enough evidence to charge one of the co-conspirators with a RICO crime [[such as bribery or extortion). This would be a logical strategy for the government if they have a significant amount of evidence against some, but not all, of the co-conspirators.

So, for example, if the government were to later bring bribery and/or extortion charges against Bernard Kilpatrick regarding his involvement with Maestro Associates, they could name Kwame as a co-conspirator and nail both of them even if there's not much evidence that Kwame personally and directly committed any RICO crimes, so long as the government can show that Kwame committed acts [[or even that he merely intended to commit acts) in furtherance of the conspiracy.

Thank you, art. I should have read the entire thread instead of shooting off a comment the second after reading a post. *sheepish grin*

**R8RBOB** · June-23-10, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by bopcity

Mike Paul doing his best Baghdad Bob ...

Detroit --A spokesman for Kwame Kilpatrick says today's 19-charge corruption indictment vindicates the former mayor.
"The FBI did a thorough three-year investigation into former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Where is the corruption, payoffs and bribes everyone expected the FBI to find attached to former Mayor Kilpatrick and his office as Mayor?" said Mike Paul, Kilpatrick's spokesman, in a written statement.

http://detnews.com/article/20100623/...othing--on-him

Word of the day: overkill

The government does not need to use "overkill" to get Kwame Kilpatrick. He was so reckless that the government could pick and choose a criminal offense. They know they can nail him with the civil fund because he used whatever was in his means to live his "Puffy/Puff Daddy/P. Diddy/Diddy lifestyle. The feds know that Kilpatrick would be less than likely to fight this in court because if he is convicted for another felony then the guidelines for sentencing is different for a repeat felon which is why Sam Riddle immediately accepted a plea deal with the government after he was convicted of pulling up the shotgun.

**firstandten** · June-23-10, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

Word of the day: overkill

The government does not need to use "overkill" to get Kwame Kilpatrick. He was so reckless that the government could pick and choose a criminal offense. They know they can nail him with the civil fund because he used whatever was in his means to live his "Puffy/Puff Daddy/P. Diddy/Diddy lifestyle. The feds know that Kilpatrick would be less than likely to fight this in court because if he is convicted for another felony then the guidelines for sentencing is different for a repeat felon which is why Sam Riddle immediately accepted a plea deal with the government after he was convicted of pulling up the shotgun.

How about changing the word of the day from overkill, to let's make a deal

Thats why the overcharging, I'll bet they will use this to make a deal, lessen Kwame's time and get Bernard behind bars as well.

Kwames probably not guilty of all 19 counts but the Fed's have thrown enough stuff against the wall to make KK seriously want to talk a deal.

**R8RBOB** · June-23-10, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by firstandten

How about changing the word of the day from overkill, to let's make a deal

Thats why the overcharging, I'll bet they will use this to make a deal, lessen Kwame's time and get Bernard behind bars as well.

Kwames probably not guilty of all 19 counts but the Fed's have thrown enough stuff against the wall to make KK seriously want to talk a deal.

1st&10, the law is always "overcharging" to add on to the charges that a defendant may face. Kilpatrick was charged with 19 counts because they can prove on for each count he broke the law. That said, the government prefer to make a deal. That is why I said Kwame will plead out to one or two counts and take a 20 year sentence. Because Kilpatrick is a convicted felon, it would be in his best interest to negotiate a deal because he goes to trial and is found guilty of multiple felonies, the sentence can be a bit more harsh which is why Sam Riddle pleaded out.