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Federal prosecutors under investigation for alleged obstruction of justice in HOA probe
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Attorney Nancy Quon is a target of an HOA investigation.
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U.S. attorney Daniel Bogden has handed off the case.
© 2011 LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Mar. 2, 2011 | 7:16 a.m.
Prosecutors in the U.S. attorney's office in Las Vegas are under criminal investigation, suspected of leaking sensitive information about the probe of massive fraud involving valley homeowners associations.
The leaks being investigated by the Justice Department's Washington-based public corruption unit might have allowed a target of the HOA probe, construction defects attorney Nancy Quon, to alter or destroy evidence sought by investigators.
FBI agents have interviewed at least one federal prosecutor close to Quon and are examining the conduct of others in the U.S. attorney's office for potential obstruction of justice charges, sources said.
"To find prosecutors investigating prosecutors and FBI agents investigating prosecutors -- I can't think of an instance where that has happened before. This is serious," said Douglas McNabb, a Washington defense attorney who frequently has taken on the Justice Department Public Integrity Section in 25 years of federal criminal law practice.
The leak investigation reportedly goes beyond the U.S. attorney's office to include prominent officials who might have picked up confidential information they passed on to Quon, whose political connections and friends in the Las Vegas legal community include several judges.
While a high-profile figure in both the HOA and leak investigations, Quon is not alone. Investigators are looking at relationships between some federal prosecutors and other HOA targets that could have jeopardized the long-running investigation.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported in December that the Public Integrity and Fraud Sections of the Justice Department had taken over the HOA probe.
Las Vegas-based investigators had complained that the U.S. attorney's office was slow in moving the HOA case forward, but Russell Marsh, who heads the U.S. attorney's criminal division, would not say then what had caused the shift.
Quon's law office was searched in September 2008 during valleywide FBI raids in the HOA investigation, which has yet to result in any indictments.
Dozens of people have been targeted in the scheme to rig homeowner association board elections to position conspirators -- including former Las Vegas police officers -- who would push the boards to file construction defect lawsuits.
Legal work and repair contracts then would be funneled to associated lawyers and companies. Millions of dollars were said to be at stake.
Las Vegas FBI spokesman Joe Dickey declined comment Tuesday, as did Natalie Collins, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office.
Quon's lawyer, Thomas Pitaro, said he has was unaware of any leak investigation.
"If they are investigating, it seems absurd," Pitaro said. "Although I am a constant adversary of the U.S. attorney's office, I have the highest respect for their professionalism, qualifications and integrity."
Quon, who once reportedly brought in $100 million through construction defect lawsuits for homeowners associations, also is at the center of another criminal investigation by Las Vegas police.
Her live-in boyfriend, former police officer William Ronald Webb, was charged in November and accused of a bizarre scheme to arrange her death by using undetectable illegal drugs so that he and her family could collect life insurance money.
Detectives suspect Quon might have been involved in the death plot while under intense federal scrutiny in the HOA investigation. Quon has denied planning her own death.
Steven Myhre, a longtime top assistant to U.S. Attorney for Nevada Dan Bogden, had overseen the HOA case until the Washington prosecutors took control.
Bogden ran the U.S. attorney's office from 2001 until 2007, when the Bush administration forced him out in a political purge of top federal prosecutors.
After his election, President Barack Obama, at the recommendation of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., reappointed Bogden to the office in 2009.
The FBI raids in the HOA case came during the interim, and after his reappointment, Bogden disclosed that he owned a condominium at one of the developments under FBI scrutiny.
He also removed himself from making any administrative decisions in the HOA investigation, turning the case over to Myhre.
Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135.
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The Truth - I heard Girard Page is married to the Clark County Public Guardian, Kathleen Buchanan. I'm am quite sure that is a marriage made in Guardianship Court, oops, I mean Heaven.
Would someone kindly explain to me why Harrah's Entertainment Inc, now Caesar's Entertainment was not criminally prosecuted for having left thousands of their hotel rooms in Las Vegas as "public fire safety traps" for, in some cases, a period which spanned more than a decade, as a direct result of Harrah's own illegal remodels? Or what about the ASBESTOS exposure during many of Harrah's illegal remodels, where at a minimum tens of thousands of construction workers, hotel employees and hotel GUESTS were exposed intentionally & willfully to the ASBESTOS, which is a known carcinogenic? Why did David Roger get away with lying in open court on Harrah's behalf in front of Judge Eric Goodman? Why was I told by CC Assistant Criminal DA Christopher Lalli that if my allegations were found to be true that Harrah's would be criminally prosecuted to the full extent of the law? Why did the DA's Office bury information that they were given by the Clark County Fire Department & Chuck Gillenwater?...Why did Senator Harry Reid refuse to get involved? Why did Governor Gibbons refuse to get involved? Why did Ron Lynn tell me that the Clark County Building Department would document the illegal work with video & pictures and they didn't? Why did Richard Maddox get his job back when he intentionally falsified his report of my complaint at the Rio Hotel which closed the case, and left the hotel unsafe for an additional year putting everyone that either worked, stayed or played there at risk? What does Mr. Maddox know about his corrupt Department that we should all know? Why did Clark County NV bury the Kessler Report, which pointed out the corruption, corruption that is being exposed now at the CC Fire Department & in the story above? Aren't there laws that protect employees from being exposed to known carcinogenics intentionally at work? What Harrah's did was unconscionable, but the cover up clearly shows the extent of the corruption that we are engulfed in here in Las Vegas, NV.
Note to the New Investigators: the corruption in Las Vegas aka the "Good Old Boy Network" extends far beyond the limited scope of your investigation. Start with Harry Reid, then start down and be sure to include: Sig Rogich; ex-Senator Richard Bryan; Nevada OSHA: the Nevada State Contractors Board - George Lyford; the Nevada Gaming Control Board; the Nevada Medical Board; DA David Roger & his office; the LVMPD, the Sheriff & especially their special investigations unit; ex-Governor Jim Gibbons; ex-Clark County (CC) Commission Chairman Rory Reid; CC Commissioner Tom Collins, Chris G., Susan Brager, ex-CC Commissioner Bruce Woodbury; don't forget Ron Lynn - the Director of the Clark County Building Dept, Greg Franklin, RICHARD MADDOX; CC Fire Department - starting with ex-Fire Chief Steven Smith, Girard Page, Sandra Baker, Kirk Gottschalk; be sure to take a hard look at the University of Nevada School of Medicine & UMC - lots of double dipping going on; and please take a good hard look at the Judges - Jackie Glass, Kent Dawson, and many others who have sold justice out...basically the system in Las Vegas & for that matter Nevada is broken because of the deep & wide spread corruption - it is time to clean it up...all of it!
correction to website below. www.friendsofmarlene.com
If live in a HOA, you should call or email your Nevada State Senator to not sllow passage proposed Senate Bill 174. this bill is outrageous, against the homeowner and gives immunity to community mgt companies, allows them to withdraw funds with no signature, no trail, and more.
This is why Marlene Rogoff went to the Grant Sawyer State building on 2/25/11 and testified live to Carson City Senators, Section by Section not to pass Senate Bill 174,which takes away current safeguards against Community Mgt. Companies and Executive Board members of HOA's. Marlene Rogoff, Candidate for Mayor of Las Vegas, member of GLVAR Political Affairs Committe Member, and a former Director of Spring Mt. Ranch HOA. www.friendsofmarlne.com
Whatever is done to investigate the FP's office, DO NOT let federal investigator's do the investigating. I have seen them in action and if you have something they want, evidence disappears and investigations are not conducted. They will say they are conducting the investigations but when the statute of limitations runs out they will advise they did a thorough investigation. The problem with that is there are regulations the feds must follow and one of the articles clearly states the Investigating Officer (IO) has the prerogative not to interview a key witness (eye witness) if the IO feels it is not necessary. The necessity is not based on facts, it is based on the IO's "Opinion", Somebody needs to keep an eye on the investigator's charged with this case and make sure they interview every witness and not just the people they want to. It is interesting that a U.S. Attorney will be investigated by individuals who need the U.S. Attorney to help them complete their duties. Might as well put the fox in the henhouse instead of just showing the fox the general direction of it.
Oh great! A potentially corrupt federal prosecutor, sponsored by a federal senator famous for taking care of his cronies and the Review Journal takes that tainted meat to try and convict a prominent lawyer in the court of public opinion. Why don’t we just bring out the Salem witch trials again and start burning people at the stake based on unsubstantiated allegations? This is pathetic.
I hope there is a connection to Harry Reid that puts him in prison, or at least out of office, along with the judges and cops involved. Dirty Harry and Bogden need to go.
Jeff German, do you have personal vendetta against Ms Quon? For the past three years now you have been reporting that the FBI was saying her indictment “was imminent” and now you are saying that she had insider protection the whole time? Come on Jeff, in your article you said, “Quon is not alone” how about a picture of the other so called suspects since some of them appear to be more suspicious than Ms Quon? Is it just because she is a pretty woman and that sells more newspapers than some old white guys? Better yet, how about a little journalistic integrity?
David Amesbury, an attorney married to Chief Deputy District Attorney Victoria Villegas, was mentioned in an earlier article regarding an investigation of fraud.
The investigation of fraud involved Metro Lt. Kim, according to an earlier article.
Is it true that David Amesbury is cooperating with the feds?
Is David Amesbury getting a pass on any potential charges because he is married to that tongue-tied prosecutor, Victoria Villegas?