"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" -Oscar Wilde |
"The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth, shall be watered also himself." -- Proverbs 11:25 |
I just want to say I'm disappointed the government brought forward this case. It is an extremely difficult time for me and my family," Kerik said.
"My life has been marked by challenge ... (This is) the worst challenge, until this time (since) my challenges during and after 9/11," Kerik said.
IRS officials said Kerik did not claim more than $500,000 in income on his tax forms. This includes more than $200,000 he received from a New Jersey construction firm, Interstate Industrial, that was seeking city contracts at the time. The payment came in the form of free renovations to Kerik's then Riverdale apartment. In exchange, prosecutors said Kerik set up meetings with city officials to try to help the firm get contracts even though it had alleged ties to the mafia. Prosecutors said from 1998-2006, Kerik engaged in a conspiracy to cover up the payments he received from Interstate. When he applied for government posts, including U.S. Homeland Security Secretary, the indictment alleges Kerik lied about his ties to Interstate. They also say he lied by never reporting that he had received a a $500,000 loan from a wealthy Israeli industrialist. In addition to the renovation work, Kerik allegedly cheated on his taxes by not reporting $75,000 in royalties from a book deal, claiming New Jersey residence to avoid paying NYC taxes while living in an Upper East Side apartment and had claimed $80,000 in charitable deductions, contributions prosecutors said he never made. Officials said as he was leaving the post as police commissioner, he accepted a free Upper East Side apartment from a wealthy developer and future business associate. The apartment rent was worth $9,000 a month and totaled more than $236,000 in free rent over a two year period. Kerik allegedly never claimed this benefit on his tax returns.
Labels: Bernie Kerik, corruption, narcissism, Rudy Giuliani, sociopathy