Saturday, September 29, 2007
THE JURY'S GOT IT
CLEVELAND -- A former church accountant who paid $784,000 in kickbacks to his former boss at the Cleveland Catholic Diocese should be convicted for defrauding the church and the Internal Revenue Service, the prosecution said in its closing argument Friday.
But the defense for Anton Zgoznik, 40, of Kirtland Hills, said he was following orders in paying the money to keep a valued top accountant working for the church.
The U.S. District Court jury left the courtroom after 2 1/2 hours of closing arguments to begin deliberating. Zgoznik is charged with conspiracy, money laundering, mail fraud and obstruction of justice.
The payments went to Joseph Smith, former chief legal and financial officer for the diocese. He faces trial later on similar charges.
"There was no way Bishop (Anthony) Pilla would know, the diocese would know" about the payments, assistant U.S. Attorney John Siegel told the jury, referring to the now-retired head of the diocese.
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