Former Atlanta mayor faces sentencing for tax evasion

<p>Attorneys for Bill Campbell acknowledged Tuesday that the former Atlanta mayor failed to report more than $40,000 in income between 1997 and 1999, including $20,000 in cash payments Campbell claims were a "secret gift" from his mother.</p><p>Lead defense attorney Billy Martin told a federal judge that in a typewritten letter from April 2004, June Campbell said she gave "thousands of dollars" to her son over a period of 10 to 15 years. She did not know how much.</p><p>Prosecutors said there was absolutely no evidence that Campbell received this cash gift.</p><p>Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally Yates said, "It's hard to imagine he would take $20,000 in cash from his mother, whose income averaged around $18,000. That would mean he took the equivalent of half her income after taxes."</p><p>Martin called the accusation an "outrageous" insult to the former mayor.</p><p>"The government can't say what resources his mother had," Martin said, adding that the letter was available at trial and would have been used in the event Campbell had to testify.</p><p>The discussion during Tuesday's hearing centered on speaking fees, rent, campaign funds, World Series tickets and cash income.</p><p>Prosecutors allege that during trial, Campbell acknowledged $80,000 in unreported income. But Tuesday, Campbell's defense team said Campbell only failed to report about $40,500, which would result in $11,346 in unpaid taxes.</p><p>Campbell faced seven counts of racketeering, bribery and fraud during his trial and more than 60 prosecution witnesses took the stand against him _ including two women who admitted being romantically involved with the married mayor. The government spent millions of dollars on a seven-year investigation into city hall corruption, which also led to the conviction of 10 of Campbell's subordinates.</p><p>During trial, prosecutors had hoped to prove Campbell had taken more than $160,000 in illegal campaign contributions, cash payments, junkets and home improvements from city contractors while he was mayor from 1994 to 2002. Instead, he was convicted March 10 on just three counts of federal tax evasion, and acquitted on racketeering and bribery charges _ a verdict he and his attorneys painted as a vindication.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/6/122379