Date: 07-09-2014

Case Style: United States of America v. C. Ray Nagin

Case Number: 2:13-cr-00011-HGB-MBN

Judge: Helen G. Berrigan

Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Matthew M. Coman, Richard R. Pickens, II and Matthew S. Chester

Defendant's Attorney: Robert Charles Jenkins, Garron Matthew Johnson and Branden J Villavaso

Description: New Orleans, LA - C. RAY NAGIN (“NAGIN”), age 58, a resident of Frisco, Texas, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by United States District Judge Helen G. Berrigan for conspiracy, bribery, honest services wire fraud, money laundering and tax violations, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In addition to the term of imprisonment, NAGIN was ordered to pay $84,264 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Also, a Preliminary Order of Forfeiture was signed by the judge on May 27, 2014, granting forfeiture in the amount of $501,200.56.

NAGIN served as the Mayor of New Orleans from 2002 to 2010. A federal grand jury sitting in the Eastern District of Louisiana indicted NAGIN on January 18, 2013. NAGIN stood trial from January 27, 2014 to February 12, 2014 when the jury found NAGIN guilty on 20 of 21 counts in the indictment.

"Given the nature and extent of former Mayor Nagin's criminal conduct and betrayal of public trust over the course of several years, hopefully this result will bring at least some level of resolution to the City and its residents," stated Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge of the New Orleans Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

"In February, a jury of New Orleans citizens sent Mr. Nagin the message, loud and clear, that public officials will be held accountable for public corruption and criminal activity. Today's sentence confirms that message - public servants are elected to serve the public, not benefit from the position," said Richard Weber, Chief IRS Criminal Investigation. "No one is above the law and IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to investigate all financial crimes which undermine the public's confidence in its elected officials."

“NOLAOIG discovered financial discrepancies when it conducted an evaluation of the City’s Crime Camera System in 2009,” stated Ed Quatreveaux, Inspector General for the City of New Orleans. “The joint FBI-NOLAOIG investigation into those discrepancies eventually led to the convictions of Greg Meffert, Mark St. Pierre, and the former mayor. NOLAOIG will continue its work to root out fraud and abuse in City operations to protect the City from those who would defraud it.”

“Ray Nagin’s sentencing brings to a close a sordid chapter in New Orleans’ history in which the man charged with leading a city out of crisis instead chose to enrich himself, his family, and friends,” stated Rafael C. Goyeneche III, President of the Metropolitan Crime Commission. “This case epitomizes the vital role the public plays in exposing corruption as information supplied by citizens through the Metropolitan Crime Commission aided the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing this case to a just conclusion.”

“Our elected officials are entrusted to place the interests of the citizens above their own,” stated United States Attorney Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. “When they violate that trust and break the law, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will pursue them zealously and bring them to justice.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division and the New Orleans Office of Inspector General. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance provided by the Metropolitan Crime Commission. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew M. Coman, Richard R. Pickens, II and Matthew S. Chester.

Outcome: See above

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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