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Charges of corruption that have lingered over former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell's administration since he left office in 2002 finally caught up with him Aug. 30 as federal prosecutors publicly announced a seven-count indictment against him.
The charges include 11 acts of racketeering, as well as income-tax evasion and bribery. Campbell took more than $150,000 in cash payoffs and more than $100,000 in campaign contributions from city contractors, prosecutors say, and also failed to report a substantial amount of money to the Internal Revenue Service.
The U.S. Attorney's Office, the IRS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation released a 48-page criminal indictment detailing their investigation, which covers Campbell's alleged activities from 1996 through 2004.
At an arraignment, Campbell pleaded not guilty to all charges and was released on $100,000 bond.
The indictment includes allegations of bribery from a local club owner seeking a liquor license. The indictment states Campbell, 51, accepted roughly $50,000 in cash payments from the owner between July 1997 and September 1998, during Campbell's re-election campaign.
In the spring of 1999, when asked by a computer subcontractor about securing a $1 million deal to provide Y2K services to the city, the indictment claims Campbell replied, "What's in it for me?"
The answer $50,000 in cash, according to the indictment. Federal authorities...