Phipps' Plea Expected Next Week
From The Tulsa World Online ~ Kiowa businessman Steven Phipps is expected to plead guilty next week as part of a plea agreement with the United States in connection with an FBI investigation of political corruption in southeast Oklahoma.
Former state Sen. Gene Stipe, Phipps' estranged business partner, is at the center of the investigation but has not been charged.
The U.S. Attorney filed a mail fraud charge against Phipps Friday that alleges he paid three legislators a percentage of the gross income on gaming machines in exchange for securing more than $700,000 to companies controlled by Phipps and Stipe.
Phipps' attorney Daniel Webber Jr. of Oklahoma City, said Phipps has acknowledged his wrongdoing and has been cooperating with the investigation. "Though improperly obtained, the state funds secured for Indian Nations Entertainment were put to use by that company and did help create jobs in eastern Oklahoma," Webber said.
Phipps is the second person to be charged in connection with the grand jury investigation. One of the legislators, former state Rep. Mike Mass of Hartshorne, was the first to enter into a plea agreement. Mass pled guilty in April to conspiracy for his role in funneling state funds to the Rural Development Foundation and then to National Pet Products and Indian Nations Entertainment Corp.
Former state Sen. Gene Stipe, Phipps' estranged business partner, is at the center of the investigation but has not been charged.
The U.S. Attorney filed a mail fraud charge against Phipps Friday that alleges he paid three legislators a percentage of the gross income on gaming machines in exchange for securing more than $700,000 to companies controlled by Phipps and Stipe.
Phipps' attorney Daniel Webber Jr. of Oklahoma City, said Phipps has acknowledged his wrongdoing and has been cooperating with the investigation. "Though improperly obtained, the state funds secured for Indian Nations Entertainment were put to use by that company and did help create jobs in eastern Oklahoma," Webber said.
Phipps is the second person to be charged in connection with the grand jury investigation. One of the legislators, former state Rep. Mike Mass of Hartshorne, was the first to enter into a plea agreement. Mass pled guilty in April to conspiracy for his role in funneling state funds to the Rural Development Foundation and then to National Pet Products and Indian Nations Entertainment Corp.
Labels: Gene Stipe, Steve Phipps
posted by Mike McCarville @ 7:17 PM
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