Atlanta City Councilman Antonio Brown indicted on fraud charges
https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/atlanta-city-councilman-antonio-brown-indicted-on-fraud-charges/5YI4OETUCJFVTCQUOL5MLTICTQ/
and
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/atlanta-city-councilman-antonio-brown-has-been-indicted-attempting-defraud-several
A federal grand jury has indicted Atlanta City Councilman Antonio Brown on multiple counts of fraud, for allegedly lying about his income on applications to obtain loans and credit cards which he used for personal purchases – including a Range Rover and Mercedes Benz C300.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also accused Brown of lying about being a victim of identity theft to defraud the financial institutions that gave him the money.
Brown is charged with wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud and making false statements on a bank loan application…
“For years, Antonio Brown allegedly sought to defraud a number of banks and credit card companies by falsely claiming that he was the victim of identity theft,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak…
According to Pak, Brown opened a number of credit cards beginning in 2012, which he then used to make thousands of dollars in personal purchases. Pak also accused Brown of obtaining over $60,000 in loans for the cars.
The indictment further alleges that Brown provided false information to Signature Bank when applying for a $75,000 loan in August 2017. Brown allegedly provided a personal financial statement during the application process falsely claiming he earned $325,000 per year and had $200,000 in available cash or assets.
Brown knew this information was false because he had recently submitted other loan applications reporting far less income and available cash or assets, Pak said in the press release.
For instance, in a July 2017 loan application to another bank, Brown submitted a 2016 federal income tax return reporting that he earned $125,000 per year – $200,000 less than what he represented that his income was to Signature Bank, prosecutors allege.
Brown, the first black openly LGBTQ person ever elected to the Atlanta City Council, had become an increasingly vocal member of the council this year, leading protests against police brutality and forming a task force to address the issue. He also publicly clashed with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Brown proposed an ordinance would outlaw so-called “riot agents,” such as tear gas and rubber bullets, which police argue serve as essential tools that allow them to deal with unruly crowds as safely as possible.
NOTICE THIS: The wording on the DOJ press release is in PAST TENSE
The grand jury, the investigations, it all happened in the past.
ALSO NOTICE the other federal orgs involved in the investigations:
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division are investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas J. Krepp and Jeffrey W. Davis, Chief of the Public Corruption and Special Matters Section, are prosecuting the case.