Former VECO CEO to serve 3-year prison term

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

Former VECO CEO to serve 3-year prison term
Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:40pm EDT Email | Print | Share| Reprints | Single Page<-> Text <+>

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Oct 28 (Reuters) - The businessman at the center of Alaska's wide-ranging political corruption investigation, once a pillar of the Alaska oil industry and state Republican party, was sentenced on Wednesday to serve three years in prison and to pay a $750,000 fine.

Bill Allen, who built VECO Corp into Alaska's biggest oilfield services company and a political heavyweight in the state, pleaded guilty in May 2007 to three counts of bribery and conspiracy. Allen subsequently resigned, and his company was taken over by CH2M Hill.

Charges were brought against him after federal agents videotaped him passing out cash to state legislators and discussing other payments and favors that would be given in exchange for industry-friendly votes on an oil-tax bill and other oil policies.

The corruption investigation, which became public in Alaska when Federal Bureau of Investigation agents raided several lawmakers' offices in August 2006, has been a watershed in Alaska history.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/managementIssues/idUSN2830122120091028

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Judge sentences Allen to 3 years for bribery, conspiracy, extortion

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A district court judge sentenced the key witness in the federal government's wide-sweeping investigation of Alaska political corruption to three years in prison and a $750,000 fine.

Former VECO Corp. CEO Bill Allen,72, pleaded guilty in 2007 to bribery, conspiracy and extortion. Allen and VECO Vice President Rick Smith bribed numerous state lawmakers, and then helped federal prosecutors with wire taps, video-taped conversations, and testimony to convict most of the legislators caught up in the scandal.

"Democracy doesn't work if it's corrupt," Judge John Sedwick said before giving Allen his sentence. "We enjoy the benefits of a true democracy, and from time to time that democracy is threatened, as it was here."

~snip~

Allen's testimony nearly convicted a sitting U.S. senator, his onetime friend, Ted Stevens.

But discrepancies in Allen's FBI interviews, which were not disclosed by prosecutors to Stevens' defense team, led the Justice Department to drop the senator's charges: seven counts of failing to properly disclose gifts Stevens received from Allen and VECO. The evidence would have been favorable to Stevens' defense, and therefore should have been made available to his attorneys.

Questions about Allen's credibility and other possible prosecutorial problems caused the Justice Department to order former state Reps. Pete Kott and Vic Kohring released from prison.

more:http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=11399659

[Blue_In_AK]

1. It's about time!

He got off light. This man has been a corrupting influence in Alaska's politics since the '70s. It's astounding the amount of power he once wielded around here.

[maglatinavi]

2. Alaskan

Too bad he didn't take Sarah down with him... she musta bin involved... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Blue_In_AK]

3. I think she probably took campaign contributions

from VECO at certain points in her life, but Allen's major corrupting influence was in the legislatures, state and federal. He had quite a bit to do with former governor Frank Murkowski, as well.

Not to mention the whole sordid minor prostitution ring stuff.