Easley “go to guy” Poole indicted for bribery, extortion, money laundering

51-count indictment cites failure to disclose investment in Cannonsgate, other coastal properties

RALEIGH (By Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal Online) — Ruffin Poole, former Gov. Mike Easley’s general counsel and top aide, was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on 51 corruption counts. The 64-page indictment includes charges of extortion, bribery, racketeering, money laundering, violation of honest-services laws, and monetary transactions involving criminally derived property.

The grand jury is investigating potential corruption surrounding Easley, his close aides, and campaign donors.

The indictment alleges that Poole, called the “go to guy in the governor’s office,” helped Easley donors — some of whom were picked by Easley to plum state regulatory appointments — expedite environmental permits for coastal developments. In return, the indictment says Poole received free flights, gifts, and opportunities to invest in those developments.

Poole failed to disclose those perks, a potential violation of state ethics requirements and federal honest-services laws, the indictment says.