ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Yet another Atlantic City politician will go down in history for corruption.
Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam has plead guilty to stealing tens of thousands of dollars from a nonprofit youth basketball club.
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Gilliam’s $87,215 scheme was sordid.
“Mayor Gilliam took advantage of his victims’ desire to assist underprivileged children by falsely representing that the money contributed to the AC Starz Basketball Club would go to pay for school supplies or to support youth basketball,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said in a DOJ/FBI statement. “Instead, he spent the money on himself. When a public official like Gilliam abuses either a public or a private trust to commit a fraud, this Office and our agency partners will investigate and prosecute that official. The people of New Jersey are entitled to better.”
Outgoing Mayor Gilliam – whose civil and until now suspected criminal troubles – is only the latest in a long line of A.C. mayors whose tenures concluded in bizarre, corrupt finales. Council President Marty Small is expected to take the reins of the corruption-dogged city in light of today’s developments.
“When a scheme depletes charity for children, it’s unconscionable,” Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie added. “But when the fraud is perpetrated by someone the public trusts, it damages the community’s confidence in their public servants. This defendant betrayed the trust of his community and of people who wanted to improve the lives of children. The FBI is committed to uncovering fraud and corruption. If you break the law, no matter who you are, you will face the consequences.”
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