COLUMBUS Pension officials charged with taking gifts

Disclosure statements are required for all gifts over $75.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- The Ohio Ethics Commission charged three former members of the state teachers' retirement board and one current member Tuesday with failing to report gifts from companies doing business with the agency.
The filings in Franklin County Municipal Court bring to seven the number of officials with the State Teachers Retirement System who have been charged with ethics violations in recent years.
Michael Billirakis, a current board member, was charged with two counts of conflict of interest for accepting tickets to "Hairspray," a Broadway musical in New York, from the Frank Russell Corporation/Russell Real Estate Advisors, now the Russell Investment Group, according to the Ethics Commission.
Billirakis, who is also a former president of the Ohio Education Association, the state's largest teachers' union, was also charged with accepting tickets to a Cleveland Indians game from Salomon Smith Barney, now Citigroup, the commission said. The retirement fund was doing business with both companies at the time.
Billirakis also was charged with two counts of filing false financial disclosure statements with the Ethics Commission for failing to report the companies' gifts. Such disclosure is required for all gifts over $75.
Billirakis is represented by Columbus attorney Terry Sherman, Nick said. A message was left seeking comment.
Former members
Former board members Eugene Norris, Joseph Endry and Deborah Scott were each charged with one count of conflict of interest and a count of filing a false financial disclosure statement for accepting the "Hairspray" tickets.
Endry and Scott are represented by Columbus attorney Ritchey Hollenbaugh, Nick said. A message was left seeking comment. Nick said Norris did not yet have an attorney.
Norris has an address in Ann Arbor, Mich., but there was no phone listing for the address that was included in the charge filed against him.
Each charge carries a punishment of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Group cooperated
Russell Investment Group regularly hosts educational seminars and other activities for clients and Russell employees attend those functions with clients, said spokeswoman Jennifer Tice. She said the company cooperated with investigators and has not been charged.
"It's completely up to the clients whether they attend or not," Tice said.
Citigroup spokeswoman Shannon Bell declined comment.
The commission doesn't believe the four traded business with the vendors in exchange for the gifts, Nick said.
"Nevertheless, the case shows why these laws exist, so the public doesn't have to guess whether board members' actions are influenced by these substantial things of value," Nick said.