Government seeks to garnish proceeds of upcoming auction

The former congressman owes nearly $250,000 to the government.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
CLEVELAND -- The government has asked for authorization to garnish the proceeds of Sunday's auction that features items belonging to former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr.
The request for a "writ of continuing garnishment to garnishee Anglin's Auction Services" was made Monday, in an application filed in U.S. District Court.
William J. Edwards, first assistant U.S. attorney in Cleveland, said Monday that his office's civil division is "taking appropriate steps" and doing research to determine if the auction proceeds are subject to seizure to satisfy what Traficant owes.
Items belonging to the expelled and imprisoned ex-congressman will be auctioned at 1 p.m. Sunday at 7281 Warren-Sharon Road in Brookfield. Jeff Anglin Auction Services is in the rear of Valley View Antique Mall.
Anglin said Traficant's wife, Tish, and daughter, Elizabeth, consigned furniture, including antiques, artwork, prints, collectibles, church pews, conference table and chairs, a 100-year-old Victorian parlor suite, china and much more for sale on commission. Anglin estimated 70 items -- "too many to count" -- but couldn't guess how much money the lot will bring in.
Some people, he said, may think of the items as having historical value.
Most items from farm
Most of the household goods came from the Traficant farmhouse on state Route 165 in Greenford, Anglin said. The 76-acre horse farm is owned by Traficant's daughter.
Other items, such as furniture, came from Traficant's various offices, including a marble-topped desk and matching credenza.
In April, a federal jury found Traficant, 61, of Poland, guilty of racketeering, bribery and tax evasion. The jury concluded that he owes the government a $96,000 forfeiture.
The government filed liens in August against any property in Traficant's name.
Traficant also owes a $1,000 special assessment and $150,000 fine. In an order filed July 31, U.S. District Judge Lesley Brooks Wells authorized the federal government to seize the money.
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 also owes $19,580 in unpaid taxes, which the IRS, not the U.S. attorney's office, will collect.
The House of Representatives expelled Traficant on July 24. He began serving an eight-year prison sentence July 30 and is incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution at Allenwood in White Deer, Pa.
meade@vindy.com