FBI's Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending December 5, 2008
Dr. Frank Kardasz, January 2, 2009
The link at the end of this page leads to further information about the headlines below describing noteworthy corruption investigations. The headlines include the following stories:
FBI's Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending December 5, 2008
- Birmingham: Mayor and Others Indicted
Birmingham Mayor Larry P. Langford; Albert W. LaPierre, lobbyist; and William B. Blount, investment banker, were indicted in connection with a long-running bribery scheme. - Chicago: Undercover Sting Nabs 15 Law Enforcement Officers
Fifteen law enforcement officers were among seventeen defendants charged in an undercover FBI operation for allegedly providing armed security for drug deals. - Buffalo: Police Officer Arrested
Niagara Falls Police Officer Ryan G. Warme was arrested for sexually attacking two women and cocaine trafficking - Washington Field Office: CEO Pleads Guilty in Ponzi Scheme
Preston Pinkett, III, president and CEO of International Fiduciary Corporation plead guilty to conspiracy charges relating to a $40 million international Ponzi scheme operated through IFC. - New York: Founding Member of American Stock Exchange Pleads Guilty
Elliot J. Smith pled guilty to submitting false documents to the Securities and Exchange Commission during his investigation for insider trading. - Boston: Travel Agent Sentenced
Frank Serio, owner of Providence-based Travel Concepts, Inc., was sentenced for defrauding airlines and Amtrak in a bogus ticket refund scheme - San Antonio: Border Patrol Agent Indicted
Salomon Ruiz was charged with accepting bribes in exchange for escorting narcotic loads. - Chief of Police Convicted
The Chief of Police of Boyce, LA, Claude E. Williams, was convicted of illegal possession of unregistered firearms. - Norfolk: Former Government Employee Arrested
A criminal complaint charged Yue Cheng with five counts including marriage fraud and making false statements to the FBI in order to become a special agent.
Assuming that the above allegations are true, the accused have jeopardized their freedom, their good names the future of themselves and their families. Misconduct, ethics violations and crimes by public officials often lead us to ask; What was he (or she) thinking? If the violators had used some logical decision-making processes beforehand, perhaps the alleged ethics violations would not have occurred.
Here is a link to a list of decision making process that may be useful to those who must educate others about ethics: http://www.kardasz.org/Decision_Making_Tools.html
Link to the FBI website with the full stories: http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel08/topten_120508.htm