Ex-New Orleans Mayor was indicted on charges including wire fraud, bribery and money laundering related to his dealings with city vendors following Hurricane Katrina disaster. Whilst in office, he took cash bribes and gifts from city contractors and used his influence as mayor to grant contracts to his paymasters.
SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – On Friday 18 January 2013, former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin indicted on 21 counts of corruption. Nagin was indicted on charges including wire fraud, bribery and money laundering related to his dealings with city vendors following Hurricane Katrina disaster. Whilst in office, he took cash bribes and gifts from city contractors and used his influence as mayor to grant contracts to his paymasters. Nagin is the first mayor in the city's history to be indicted by a USA grand jury on corruption charges.
Ray Nagin served from 2002 to 2010 as the 60th mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana. He was in charge of the city at the time of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, a catastrophic disaster which devastated the New Orleans area. He was first elected in March 2002 and was re-elected in 2006 even though the election was held with at least two-thirds of New Orleans citizens still displaced after Katrina struck. He was term limited by law and left office on May 3, 2010.
Nagin founded CRN Initiatives LLC, a firm that focuses on Emergency Preparedness, Green Energy product development, Publishing and Public Speaking after leaving his job as the Mayor. He wrote and self-published his first book, Katrina Secrets: Storms after the Storms which give a first-hand account of how New Orleans dealt with the storm. Some of the transfers between former New Orleans Mayor and several businessmen according to the indictment are given below.
Signed executive order in June 2004 excluding technology contracts from city bidding rules, and subsequently signed contracts that allowed St. Pierre's Imagine Software to collect at least $7 million for technology work at City Hall.
Hosting of a campaign fundraiser in Chicago in June 2006 that resulted in direct and "concealed" contributions
Signed a contract in March 2007 with a Home Solutions subsidiary worth $3 million for a construction contract at Louis Armstrong International Airport
Signed a second contract worth $1 million for additional airport work in July 2007
A $50,000 payoff, routed through Home Solutions of America board member Michael McGrath, in June 2008
At least two truckloads of free granite in June and August 2008 (value unknown)
After Nagin's departure from City Hall, nine payments of $12,500, totaling $112,500
A trip on a private jet to Chicago and Las Vegas, with businessman Aaron Bennett, in January 2007
An agreement to waive delinquent tax and loan payments owed to the city; the indictment does not specify the amount
A trip to New York City in May 2006 for the Nagin family costing $23,500, including private jet travel and limo service
On paper, transferred a 4.5 percent interest in Stone Age to BRT Investments, a company set up by Williams
Awarded at least 22 professional services contracts to Three Fold Consultants, Williams' firm, starting in June 2008. In most cases, the indictment does not list the value of the contracts, although one deal for sidewalk repair was worth $1 million and another for lighting was worth up to $400,000.
Three $20,000 check payments in January 2008
One $10,000 cash payment, collected by Nagin's sons, in June 2009
A $2,500 check payment in June 2008
