RALEIGH
A former aide to former Gov. Mike Easley was indicted yesterday on more than 50 federal counts including extortion, bribery and money laundering.
A federal grand jury meeting in Raleigh issued 51 charges against Ruffin Poole, who was Easley's former special counsel and aide while the two-term governor was in office.
The indictment accuses Poole of profiting financially from coastal developments that had been approved by state regulators.
A "Wilmington financier" not identified by prosecutors sent $260,000 in payments as the return on financing from the Cannonsgate development in Carteret County and another coastal subdivision to a construction company owned by Poole's family, according to the 64-page indictment.
Easley is not accused of wrongdoing in the indictment, the first criminal charges filed in a wide-ranging investigation by both state and federal investigators related to Easley, a Democrat who served eight years before leaving office in January 2009 because of term limits.
The maximum potential punishments add up to hundreds of years in prison.
Poole's attorney, Joe Cheshire, said in a statement last night that while Easley had no knowledge of the conduct described in the indictment, Easley "has faith in Ruffin Poole and finds it hard to believe that he would ever intentionally violate the law."
A warrant had been issued for Poole's arrest, according to court documents. Poole planned to turn himself in, but FBI spokeswoman Amy Thoreson declined to give other details last night.
In a news release, U.S. Attorney George Holding said that "public service should not be, and cannot be, an opportunity for improper personal gain by the employee, or by others relying on their friendship with that employee."
Grand jurors, meeting over the course of most of 2009, have called witnesses for testimony and documents about activities surrounding Easley, former first lady Mary Easley and his associates.
In recent months, subpoenas indicated that federal prosecutors were interested in coastal real-estate developments assembled by two brothers with ties to Easley and whether anyone made payoffs or gifts to state regulators.
Easley and his wife bought a lot in Cannonsgate in 2005 and received a $137,000 discount, according to documents.
The grand jury also called witnesses to testify about how Mary Easley got a job and a large salary increase at N.C. State University. The N.C. Highway Patrol was also served with federal subpoenas looking for information about private plane trips taken by Easley and his family.
The State Board of Elections already has acted against Easley's campaign committee, ordering it on Oct. 30 to pay a $100,000 penalty for failing to disclose flights taken by Easley while he was a candidate and piloted by a political ally. A local prosecutor is now examining whether to file criminal charges against Easley or others related to the campaign-finance violations.
Donors to Easley's campaign testified at the hearing, including Gary Allen, who developed Cannonsgate, and Lanny Wilson, a former member of the N.C. Board of Transportation who lent money to a company run by Allen's brother to complete the development sale.
Wilson testified that Easley's campaign urged them to write checks to the N.C. Democratic Party to help pay for expenses related to Easley's bid for governor. Funneling donations to one campaign committee so the money can go directly to another committee would be illegal.
Wilson resigned from the board yesterday, saying in his resignation letter to Gov. Bev Perdue that he was stepping down after nine years to avoid "any further unnecessary distractions."
Poole declined to testify before the elections board, citing his right not to incriminate himself. Evidence in the hearing showed that Poole was involved in fundraising for Easley's campaign.
A Raleigh lawyer representing Gary Allen has said that permits for the Allens' projects were approved in a lawful manner.
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