CLEVELAND Ex-rep's wife, daughter give depositions

The women showed up with folders of documents.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
CLEVELAND -- The government, in finding a way to collect a $150,000 fine owed by James A. Traficant Jr., is harassing the ex-congressman's wife and daughter, says the women's lawyer.
"They didn't pull this s--- with Jim Philomena and Lenny Strollo," said Youngstown attorney Heidi Hanni Wolff. "I think it's a gross abuse of process and a damned disgrace, but what are you going to do?"
Philomena, ex-Mahoning County prosecutor, Strollo, former Mahoning Valley mob boss, and Traficant, expelled after nine terms in Congress, are all in prison, convicted of racketeering crimes.
Tish Traficant and her daughter, Elizabeth Traficant Chahine, were at the U.S. attorney's office Wednesday afternoon to give depositions about their finances. They had been subpoenaed by Richard J. French, an assistant U.S. attorney assigned to the civil division.
The women, both casually dressed, showed up a bit early. After they were scanned by a metal detector and given visitor passes, French escorted them behind closed doors.
Documents requested
The women brought along folders of documents that had been requested by French. Wolff, who helped prepare the paperwork requested, said the government asked for "stupid stuff" such as W-2s.
"It's ridiculous," Wolff said of the government asset hunt, which includes liens filed in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties to find real estate in Jim Traficant's name.
Records show he owns a vacant lot in Boardman. His home in Poland is in his wife's name; a 76-acre farm in Greenford and several other properties are in his daughter's name; and two vacant lots are in his deceased father's name.
French also has sought to seize, through garnishment of an auctioneer and Chahine, proceeds of an auction of Traficant memorabilia held Dec. 1 in Brookfield. The event brought in net proceeds of $10,314.
French is attempting to collect a $150,000 fine levied by the judge who sentenced Traficant, 61, to eight years in prison in July. Traficant, found guilty of racketeering and tax evasion, also owes a $96,000 forfeiture and nearly $20,000 to the IRS.
Hanni's comments
Because Wolff had to be in court in Youngstown, Tish Traficant and her daughter, recently married, were accompanied to the U.S. attorney's office Wednesday by Wolff's father, Youngstown attorney Don L. Hanni Jr.
Unlike his daughter, Hanni described the depositions as "routine procedure," used by any collector. The government wants to determine if the women are holding property in Traficant's name, he said.
Hanni said French's job is to seek assets to satisfy the fine. The lawyer said he advised the Traficant women to tell the truth.
Hanni said the Greenford farm was titled to Tish Traficant years ago from her father-in-law. "It was left to her in the will, anyhow," the lawyer said
It has been in Elizabeth Traficant's name since Dec. 10, 1999, two days after federal prosecutors subpoenaed the ex-congressman's office records.
Among the documents the women were told to bring Wednesday were federal income tax returns for the past three years, records showing ownership of personal or real property and when they acquired it, all sources of income, vehicle titles and registrations and life insurance policies.
Other records
The subpoenas also required them to list all business real property transferred by gift, sale or otherwise since Feb. 1, 2002, and all records establishing the transfer and the value received.
They were required to provide records showing their receipt of any pension, disability compensation, retirement pay or other benefits from the United States or any other source on behalf of Jim Traficant.
Tish Traficant is a hairdresser at a shop on Belmont Avenue, and her daughter, by last account in October, was a desk clerk at the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation in downtown Youngstown.
meade@vindy.com