WASHINGTON – Asking forgiveness from “the Almighty and from those I have wronged,” Jack Abramoff, once considered the most powerful lobbyist on Capitol Hill, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a scheme of fraud and tax evasion that could send him to prison for 11 years.
Abramoff now becomes a prospective witness for the prosecution in an ongoing influence-peddling probe of Congress that has mushroomed into a major corruption scandal. It already has ensnared one member of Congress and two former congressional aides, and Abramoff’s guilty plea gives the probe new impetus.
The plea deal includes a requirement that Abramoff cooperate truthfully in the probe of his actions over a decade-long period, a process that could significantly reduce his jail time. Abramoff also must make restitution of $25 million and pay $1.7 million in back taxes to the IRS.
Speaking softly, Abramoff, 46, responded with simple “yes” and “no” answers as he entered the guilty pleas in a 50-minute session before U.S. Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle. Abramoff wore a rumpled black suit and appeared pale as he stood beside his lawyer, Abbe Lowell, in the packed courtroom.
At the end of the court session, Abramoff stood and, with the judge’s permission, read from a folded piece of paper. “I only hope that I can merit forgiveness from the Almighty and those I have wronged or caused to suffer,” Abramoff said. “Words will not ever be able to express how sorry I am for this, and I have profound regret and sorrow for the multitude of mistakes and harm I have caused.”
His jail sentence will be set at a later date and will depend on his continued cooperation, according to Mary Butler, the Justice Department’s lead prosecutor in the case. The counts of conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion carry a maximum prison term of 30 years. But federal sentencing guidelines call for only nine to 11 years, officials said.
The agreement marks a significant turn in an investigation that the FBI launched in March 2004. Justice Department officials said the fallen Republican deal maker already had begun sharing information and documents with them.
Officials declined to discuss any additional charges, but documents released Tuesday indicate prosecutors are focusing on benefits provided by Abramoff and his colleagues to members of Congress, their relatives and current and former congressional staffers and their relatives.
“The corruption scheme with Mr. Abramoff is very extensive, and we will continue to follow it wherever it leads,” said Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher, head of the Justice Department’s criminal division.
“This case is very active and ongoing. We are going to expend the resources that are necessary to make sure that people know that government is not for sale.”
“This is just the beginning,” predicted Stanley Brand, a Washington lawyer and former general counsel of the House of Representatives. The scandal is “about an 8 on the Richter Scale, and it is probably going to be a 9 before it is all over,” Brand said.
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