Sunday, March 25, 2007

Former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the central figure in a Capitol Hill
corruption scandal convicted of fraud in the purchase of the SunCruz Casinos
gambling boats, may be getting out of federal prison earlier than expected.
Federal prosecutors have taken the first steps toward reducing his prison
sentence for the Florida fraud conviction, now set to end in 2011. Documents
filed in federal court in Miami say that Abramoff has provided "substantial
assistance" in a separate Washington corruption scandal and that he
continues to work with investigators from his Maryland federal prison cell.
But prosecutors say in court papers that his cooperation isn't over and
"will not be complete within one year of the defendant's initial
sentencing." Abramoff, once a powerful Washington lobbyist, and ex-partner
Adam Kidan were sentenced last year to nearly six years in prison. They were
accused of concocting a fake $20 million wire transfer during their 2000
purchase of the Fort Lauderdale-based SunCruz Casinos gambling fleet.