Thread: Convicted ex-congressman has state pension tapped for fine

June 5, 2008, 10:30AM
Convicted ex-congressman has state pension tapped for fine


© 2008 The Associated Press


CLEVELAND — A former Ohio congressman serving eight years in prison on a public corruption conviction will pay $250 a month from his state pension to help satisfy $103,783 in court fines, unpaid taxes and forfeitures.

James A. Traficant (TRAF'-eh-kehnt) Jr., 67, a Democrat who represented the Youngstown area in Congress for 17 years, and the state pension system agreed with a prosecutor to have the money taken from his $1,037 monthly pension earned in 15 years as a drug counselor and sheriff in Youngstown.

The agreement filed Tuesday awaits approval in Cleveland by U.S. District Court Judge Lesley Wells.

Traficant was charged with receiving gifts and free labor from businessmen for his political help and taking cash kickbacks and free labor from staff. He was convicted of 10 counts, including racketeering, bribery, obstruction of justice and tax evasion. His sentence is up Sept. 2, 2009.

The government already takes $770 monthly from his federal pension and $50 from his prison-work earnings.



Sounds like a good pension , 7 dollars a month



http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/ ... 20563.html

They should take his ENTIRE pension! At $250 a month, he might not live long enough to pay it all back.