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May 26, 2005
UPDATE: Crutchfield Indicted for Conspiracy in FBI Sting
Terry Harris from the U. S. Attorney's Office in Memphis has announced that Sen. Ward Crutchfield has been indicted for accepting "$12,000 in illegal payments" from a purported computer company that was actually a front for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Harris said that Crutchfield accepted the money in exchange for Crutchfield's favorable votes on bills benefitting the ersatz computer company, E-Cycle Management. Hamilton School Board member Charles Love is accused of bringing Crutchfield bribes, as well as bringing Cleveland Rep. Chris Newton $4,500 to aid the legislation. The fake company was part of a two-year FBI sting operation called "Tennessee Waltz."
The other five arrests, including that of Sen. John Ford, were for similar charges of conspiracy and conspiracy to extort. He is also charged with intimidating witnesses.
Television news stations are referring to Ford as "the kingpin" of the conspiracy. The AP's report, including a summary of the FBI-funded bill, is here. Honestly, the most shocking news here is that Ward Crutchfield knows what a computer is.
| By mesh | 12:09 PM
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