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Arizona Congressman Indicted in Land Swap Scam
Published: February 22, 2008
WASHINGTON — Representative Rick Renzi, a Republican who represents a vast region of Arizona, has been indicted on charges of using his office to enrich himself through a complex land swap scam, federal prosecutors announced on Friday in Phoenix.
The prosecutors said a grand jury on Thursday returned a 35-count indictment accusing Mr. Renzi, 49, and two former associates of extortion, wire fraud, money-laundering and various conspiracies that could bring many years in prison and fines of hundreds of thousands of dollars upon conviction.
The indictment asserts that Mr. Renzi was in financial trouble in 2005 “and needed a substantial infusion of funds to keep his insurance business solvent and to maintain his personal lifestyle.” The Congressman, who announced last August that he would not seek a fourth term, and his wife, Roberta, have 12 children. Mr. Renzi has denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors say Mr. Renzi misused his position on the House Natural Resources Committee to shepherd legislation enabling investors to swap tracts of property for land owned by the federal government — but only if they would include land owned by James W. Sandlin, a real estate investor from Sherman, Tex., in the deal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/22/washington/22cnd-Renzi.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
Published: February 22, 2008
WASHINGTON — Representative Rick Renzi, a Republican who represents a vast region of Arizona, has been indicted on charges of using his office to enrich himself through a complex land swap scam, federal prosecutors announced on Friday in Phoenix.
The prosecutors said a grand jury on Thursday returned a 35-count indictment accusing Mr. Renzi, 49, and two former associates of extortion, wire fraud, money-laundering and various conspiracies that could bring many years in prison and fines of hundreds of thousands of dollars upon conviction.
The indictment asserts that Mr. Renzi was in financial trouble in 2005 “and needed a substantial infusion of funds to keep his insurance business solvent and to maintain his personal lifestyle.” The Congressman, who announced last August that he would not seek a fourth term, and his wife, Roberta, have 12 children. Mr. Renzi has denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors say Mr. Renzi misused his position on the House Natural Resources Committee to shepherd legislation enabling investors to swap tracts of property for land owned by the federal government — but only if they would include land owned by James W. Sandlin, a real estate investor from Sherman, Tex., in the deal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/22/washington/22cnd-Renzi.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
