The Wall Street Journal’s Joe Palazzolo reported last night that the jury in the trial of the first four shot-defendants is deadlocked after voting six times in five days, and the judge may declare a mistrial after one more vote by the jury today.
Pankesh Patel, Andrew Bigelow, John Benson Wier III, and Lee Allen Tolleson were charged with plotting to bribe the minister of defense for Gabon to sell military and law enforcement products. But the scheme was part of an FBI undercover operation and no foreign official was actually involved. Their trial opened on May 16.
The 22 shot-show defendants were charged in a 44-count superseding indictment with conspiracy to violate the FCPA, violating the FCPA, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and aiding and abetting. They also face a forfeiture count.
Three of the defendants have already pleaded guilty. Haim Geri pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He faces 18 to 24 months in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date wasn’t set. He lives in Miami.
In March, Daniel Alvirez pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to violate the FCPA, and Jonathan Spiller pleaded guilty to one FCPA conspiracy count. They haven’t been sentenced.
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