Friday, July 04, 2008
SMITH AQUITTED
According to an article from the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
A federal jury on Thursday acquitted the former chief financial officer of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese of skimming $784,000 from the church through an elaborate kickback scheme.
The jury did, however, convict Joseph Smith of lesser charges for failing to pay taxes on $171,000. Prosecutors claimed the money was proceeds from the scheme, while Smith said the income was legitimate compensation....
Smith was convicted of six tax-related charges out of a 23-count indictment. Aldrich, the judge, threw out eight money laundering charges at the end of the trial.
The jury cleared him on nine charges, including conspiracy and fraud.
The Diocese has accepted the decision which I would take to mean there will not be an appeal:
In a statement Thursday, the diocese said it accepts the jury's decision, "but it remains the Diocese's position that no one knew of or approved the payments to Smith by Anton Zgoznik's firm."
