John P. Raphael, Honest Services Wire Fraud, Ohio 2014
Former Convention Authority Member Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud
A former member of the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority has pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud related to a contract with the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.
John P. Raphael, 65, of Columbus, offered his guilty plea in U.S. District Court today to honest services wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Raphael received bribes and kickbacks from a food-service company in exchange for official acts while serving as a member of the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority board and treasurer. The authority owned and operated the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
In 2014, the authority engaged in a confidential bidding process to select a food vendor for the convention center. Four companies submitted bids, but Raphael became a consultant for one of the companies without disclosing it to the authority.
Raphael received a monthly retainer of $5,000 and a "success fee" of $40,000 if the company secured the contract. He repeatedly took official acts to benefit the company in exchange for money, including sending confidential documents to the company and participating in authority meetings without disclosing his relationship with the company.
The company ultimately won the contract, and Raphael sent an invoice for the $40,000 "success fee" two days after the contract was signed. The company paid the fee, and Raphael received a total of $144,000 from the company through the consulting agreement.
Honest services wire fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing of Raphael will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel, FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman, and Ohio Ethics Commission Executive Director Paul M. Nick.
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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