Press Releases
FEDERAL GRAND JURY RETURNS 62 COUNT INDICTMENT AGAINST FORMER ATTORNEY
October 29, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAMES G. PERDIGAO, age 46, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana was charged in a 62 count superseding indictment by a Federal Grand Jury for mail fraud, bank fraud, tax evasion, filing false tax returns, money laundering, transportation of stolen funds, obstruction of justice, computer intrusion fraud and unlawful access to stored communications, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
The superseding indictment adds four new charges including obstruction of justice and computer intrusions of his former law firm, Adams and Reese. In Counts 60 - 63, the indictment charges that PERDIGAO was stealing documents from his former employer by illegally accessing Adams and Reese computer network on approximately 400 occasions between September, 2004 and October, 2008. The indictment alleges that PERDIGAO had stolen confidential correspondence between the U. S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI, bills, records and a copy of a federal grand jury subpoena that was issued to Adams and Reese.
PERDIGAO, a former partner at the law firm of Adams and Reese, provided legal services to companies in Louisiana’s gambling industry. The indictment charges him with stealing checks belonging to Adams & Reese and depositing those checks into accounts controlled by PERDIGAO. Further, the indictment charges PERDIGAO with stealing a tax refund check payable to Horseshoe Entertainment, which was being acquired by Harrah’s in the amount of $485,000. Once these checks were deposited, they became available for withdrawal and thus exposed the banks, such as Bank One (now Chase) to the risk of civil liability and financial loss.
The indictment also charges that he concocted a fraudulent billing scheme whereby he would submit phony invoices to his clients including Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. and Boomtown, causing them to remit millions of dollars in fraudulent payments.
According to the indictment, during a one-week period in October of 2004, PERDIGAO wired nearly $20,000,000 to a Swiss bank account that he controlled in Zurich, Switzerland. Additionally, the indictment charges PERDIGAO with tax evasion and filing false tax returns, for the tax calendar years 2000 through 2004. The tax due and owing by PERDIGAO exceeds approximately $4,500,000 as indicated in the indictment. The indictment and prosecution of individuals who intentionally conceal income and evade taxes is a vital element in maintaining the public confidence in our tax system. Income from all sources, legal and illegal is taxable.
The indictment further alleges that by failing to report substantial taxable income and utilizing fraudulent losses on these tax returns, PERDIGAO qualified himself for the earned income tax credit. The earned income tax credit is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income, working individuals and families.
If convicted, PERDIGAO faces a maximum term of imprisonment in excess of 1,000 years. He also faces substantial fines and criminal forfeiture including $30 million dollars seized from the defendant and in custody of the U. S. Marshal.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
U. S. Attorney Jim Letten reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorneys James Mann, Salvador Perricone, Brian Klebba and Mimi Nguyen.
(Download Second Superseding Indictment 
)
