TRAFICANT CASE U.S. court seeks full disclosure on auction

The judge will have a hearing to hash out who owned what before the sale.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The auctioneer who sold James Traficant memorabilia has 10 days to tell the government how much cash changed hands.
Jeff Anglin must provide a list of what items he sold Sunday, the amount paid for each item and what items didn't sell, said William J. Edwards, first assistant U.S. attorney in Cleveland. The list, Anglin's answer to a writ of garnishment, must be filed in U.S. District Court.
"Then the court will determine -- probably at a hearing -- the ownership" of the items, Edwards said Monday. At the hearing, the judge will listen to anyone, such as Traficant's wife or daughter, who may claim they, not the ex-congressman, owned the items before the auction, Edwards said.
"The court will have to determine whether the government gets the money or they get the money," Edwards said. "I've never had a situation like this before."
Fine and forfeiture
The case falls to U.S. District Judge Lesley Brooks Wells, who presided over Traficant's racketeering and tax evasion trial. Judge Wells imposed a $150,000 fine and $96,000 forfeiture when she sentenced Traficant in July to eight years in prison.
The forfeiture amount, decided by the jury that convicted Traficant on 10 counts, reflects illegal gifts, cash bribes and kickbacks from a staffer. The fine is the cost of his incarceration, $1,848 per month, with a $150,000 cap.
Traficant has not made a payment, and the government has begun tacking on 1.67 percent interest, compounded annually.
On Nov. 25, Richard French, assistant U.S. attorney assigned to the civil division, filed an application in court asking for authorization to claim proceeds of the auction. The application for continuing garnishment names Anglin's Auction Service in Brookfield.
Anglin offered roughly 60 Traficant items at the weekend auction. He acknowledged having received the government's garnishment request.
He said that the memorabilia was consigned to him by Traficant's wife and daughter. The furniture, artwork, dishes and miscellaneous items came from Traficant's horse farm in Greenford and his former 17th District offices.
meade@vindy.com