Federal prosecutors are finished presenting their corruption case against former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. The defense will be battling allegations that Nagin took bribes and kickbacks while in office.
Former Mayor Nagin is accused in a 21-count indictment of taking cash, free vacations and supplies for his granite business in exchange for city contracts. Several vendors testified that after they paid Nagin, they got lucrative deals.
Frank Fradella of Home Solutions of America testified that he paid Nagin $50,000 in cash and gifts, and Nagin helped him get a $40 million line of credit.
Prosecutors wrapped their case with testimony from a financial analyst with the US Attorney’s Office. The jury was shown charts detailing the money trail from vendors to Nagin accounts.
The Internal Revenue Service says Nagin amassed more than a half-million-dollars in undeclared income.
Defense attorney Robert Jenkins called one contractor who did city business in the Nagin years. He testified the city had a public bidding process for contracts, not a private one through the mayor’s office. It’s still not clear if Nagin will testify in his own defense.
