FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         CRM
TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1995                            (202) 514-2008
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

          WIFE OF FORMER CONGRESSMAN SOLARZ IS CHARGED,
                      AGREES TO PLEAD GUILTY


     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Justice announced
today that Nina K. Solarz, the wife of Stephen J. Solarz, former
Congressman from New York, has been charged with two misdemeanors
in an information filed today in the U.S. District Court for the
District of Columbia, and that Mrs. Solarz has agreed to plead
guilty to the charges in the information.
     The information charges Mrs. Solarz, 63, with conversion of
government funds in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section
664, based on a $5,200 check she caused to be written in 1990 on
her husband's account at the now defunct House Bank, knowing that
there were insufficient funds in the account to cover the check.
     The charge also alleged that in 1992 Mrs. Solarz improperly
took $7,500 from the American Friends of Turkish Women, a
charitable organization in which Mrs. Solarz served as President,
in violation of District of Columbia Code, Section 3816.
     Mrs. Solarz faces a maximum penalty of one year and 90 days
imprisonment and a $25,300 fine.  Under the terms of the plea
agreement filed with the court, Mrs. Solarz has agreed to plead
guilty to the charges and the government has agreed to take no
position regarding incarceration.
     The information and plea agreement stem from the Department
of Justice's ongoing investigation of House Bank.  This case is
being prosecuted by attorneys assigned to the House Bank Task
Force, Criminal Division, composed of an assistant U.S. Attorney
from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a senior litigation counsel from
the Fraud Section of the Criminal Division, a senior counsel in
the Criminal Division, and Special Agents of the FBI.  The Task
Force was formed in December, 1992, to continue the work of the
preliminary inquiry into the House Bank that Malcolm R. Wilkey,
retired Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia Circuit, conducted as a Special Counsel to the Attorney
General in 1992.
     This is the eleventh criminal charge filed to date by the
task force.  The former Sergeant At Arms, Jack Russ, pled guilty
to three felonies and is serving a 24 month prison term.  Former
member of Congressman Carroll Hubbard Jr., pled guilty to three
felonies and was sentenced to 36 months in prison.  Former
Congressman Carl C Perkins pled guilty to three felonies and was
sentenced recently to 21 months in prison.  Former Delegate
Walter Fauntroy pled guilty to filing a false financial statement
and is awaiting sentencing.  Carol Brown Hubbard, the wife of
former Congressman Hubbard, pled guilty to a misdemeanor and was
sentenced to five years probation. Martha Amburgey, the secretary
to former Congressman Perkins has pled guilty to two felonies and
was sentenced to probation.  Ignatius DeMio, the nephew of former
Congresswoman Oakar has pled guilty to one misdemeanor and is
scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 1995.
     Former Congressman Mary Rose Oakar was recently indicted for
seven felonies, including conspiracy and filing false statements,
and is awaiting trial.  Former Congressman Donald "Buz" Lukens
was recently indicted on five felony counts alleging acceptance
of bribes and is awaiting trial.  John P. Fitzpatrick was
recently indicted on eight felony counts alleging bribery,
conspiracy to defraud the United States, and giving false
testimony before the grand jury.  The investigation of the House
Bank Task Force is continuing.
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95-217