Coming just two days after Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams disclosed that he received over $160,000 in unreported gifts over a five year period, new details are emerging over the specifics of those gifts.
For example, according to Ryan Briggs of City & State, it turns out that Williams failed to get a city permit for the $45,000 roofing job that was done free of charge for him. Furthermore, it is highly likely that the original amount disclosed was a significant understatement of the true cost of the roofing repair job.
Lynmar, the firm that did the repairs, is owned by a man named Michael Palmieri who has donated over $40,000 to Williams’ campaign over the years.
The roofing job is not the only likely understated value in Williams’ disclosure.
Aubrey Whelan, Chris Brennan and Mark Fazlollah of the Inquirer document that Williams listed a $1,000 family vacation in 2010, 2013, and 2014. Williams stayed at the Stone Ridge Estate, a 2,500 acre estate on the market for $10 million. They estimate that staying a similar facility at market value would cost $1,000 a night.
Williams’ ex-wife also received a $1,500 per month discount on a rental property, according to the owner of the property. That amount, however, was not included in the disclosure because, “it wasn’t considered a gift”. At least so says Williams’ attorney Samuel C. Stretton.
Some of the gift givers in the disclosure have been contacted by the FBI concerning the nature of the gifts. All the while, Williams has also been the subject of an on-going federal probe over the possible misuse of campaign funds.
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41 Responses
Not yet, Aaron. But word is that the FBI has Seth in its cross-hairs. And they usually hit their mark. Smart money is on Seth getting more jail time than Kane. The question is now whether the FBI is also looking at Fina & The Corbett Pervs.
What we now know about the “sting” case makes one wonder what was really going on. We know Fina stole the file when he fled the AG’s Office. We know Fina and the cooperator have the same attorney (who also represented Seth Williams). Fina let his attorney’s other client keep $430,000.00 he stole from PA taxpayers. FBI would be crazy not to look into it.
Has Seth Williams been indicted by the Feds yet?
Diano….Shut up, I’ll post under whatever name I want just like you and if you don’t like it go somewhere else. Fact is your mommys boy she takes care of your bills you’re a loser. If you’re so great why live with mommy. You’re still sucking off the teat. Kids in the basement you deny wonder what others in your neighborhood will say. Oh yeah the last time this was bought out you asked to have the posts deleted. Wonder why you loser. You’re biggest claim to stupidity is defending a person who wanted to frame and
Put into prison an innocent man. Only a loser like you thinks like that.
Pat Unger……COTT shut up no one cares why you hear or anything about lawyers ok. The only kind of lawyers he knows are defense lawyers oh maybe with one exception. So COTT pick some more girls name and post crap under there. You’re a nobody, a theif who was sent to the nut prison and obsessed with giving blowjobs at rest stops. You don’t scare anyone bulbous head.
I’m starting to wonder if the FBI is orchestrating the timing of releases of wiretaps/investigations.
Ho hum, another corrupt Democrat. Even Brett Cott (aka HaHaHa and Pat Unger) thinks Seth is a criminal. And Brett Cott would know, having spent time in state prison.
Tons of irony here. Just look at the fact that Giftgate hit at exactly the moment that the Porngate instigator got convicted. Crazy.
Seth is in deep shit. Giftgate is indicative of a recklessness that surely did not stop at taking (and taking and taking …) gifts.
He put a FOR SALE sign on the D.A.’s Office. He refused to prosecute Dougherty because of a “conflict” – but had no problem clearing LeSean McCoy without even disclosing his conflict. The guy took free NFL tickets for 5 years. If he can’t prosecute Dougherty, then he has no business handling cases involving NFL players.
The Police Dept must be extremely angry. They vote too.
Like I have been saying FOREVER – Seth Williams is a corrupt piece of shit. Next up for him is the orange jump-suit.
This is a guy that, while he was prosecuting other politicians for taking minor gifts, was taking $160,000.00 himself. What a pathetic hypocrite.
One would think that, with all his talking about the sting case that involved gifts, that might have reminded Seth that he had $160,000.00 in gifts to report.
Seth is a shady dude …, And also Shady’s dude …. Totally unethical. Totally untrustworthy. Totally unqualified to be D.A.
When is the Mayor going to demand Seth Williams’ resignation?
Karen Kurzinger-
The Fina connection is pure irony. Frank Fina worked in the AG’s office for Corbett and ran a racially/politically targeted “sting” operation against 6 black Dem Philly lawmakers, using a criminal “informant” that stole $200,000 and Fina gave immunity to. Fina granted the immunity between Kane’s election and Kane taking office, which is suspicion and unusual.
When the FBI and AG Kane declined to prosecute the horrible sting case, the dropping of the case leaked (presumably by Fina). Fina worked for Seth Williams and “magically” Seth decided to take on the case very publicly and attacked Kane publicly. There aren’t any photos of Fina smiling and rubbing his hands like a Bond-villain, but the dots aren’t hard to connect.
The informant, Ali, was would be a troubling witness, who could expose the half-assed management of the sting operation and probably blow the whole case. Seth got the lawmakers to plead to lesser charges (than the “bribery” allegations he swore to get them on) that had no significant penalties. The total money given to all 6 lawmakers was around $9,000 and there was no quid-pro-quo, and they were slapped with merely a failure to properly record the “gifts”.
So, Seth’s own $160,000 of gifts (so far) is particularly embarrassing to Seth and anyone connected with pushing the sting investigation.
The $160,000 is still less than the $200,000 Fina let Ali walk away with.
That is quite a list, kraig!!
If he makes it to the Primary and is not in jail, he is going to get smoked. I am hearing that the City’s former Managing Director, Rich Negrin is being urged to run.
Who the heck is “Fina” and what does he have to do with Seth Williams being on the take? What Williams has done is breathtakingly corrupt. If the FBI does not arrest him, they may as well just announce that thieves can go into politics and get away with being corrupt. The 2013 D.A. Election should be invalidated. If Williams had disclosed that he was going to Punta Cana for free and getting free Eagles tickets, he would not have been re-elected. Maybe that is why he did not report them as the law requires him to do. He should resign right now.
Did Fina prosecute a guy named Brett? I don’t remember anyone typing that here (a million times). Yikes. What a clown the troll boy is.
Hey Brett, Fina and Costanzo put you in PRISON and now will put Kane in PRISON. They are Both laughing in DELIGHT at you and now Kane. HaHaHa They WON again.
Pat Unger-
This latest knuckle-head is more “truther” than “truth”. But, he’s just another p*ssy hiding behind a weak screen name, because he has no truth to offer. If he had anything to say that wss worth saying or true, he’d post under his real name.
But, to avoid libel/defamation, he has to hide. Look what happened to the poster “kanesdriver” (who be returned and posting under a new fake alias.
The Truther-
Do you have a reading disability?
You (again) claim that I’m just now going after Seth, when I’ve been against him publicly since he tried grandstanding with the sting case (and privately since I spoke to him several years ago at a Dem event and realized he was a tool).
But, you want to come here and stir the pot with some b.s. connection that is unsupported in the record to any longtime readers.
I had supported Josh Shapiro for Montco Commissioner and potential Senate candidate to take out Sestak. But, I lost respect for him with his AG run (that he’s completely unqualified for), and now have no confidence in his integrity after he accepted so much money from the school charter PAC.
Seth took a lot of money, gifts, favors that he shouldn’t (and didn’t report it), and is a hypocrite after his pursuing the sting case, like it was a major crime to advance himself politically.
During the primary, there were a lot of rumors about Josh strong-arming staff associated with local Montco gov/courthouse for donations. (similar to what has been commonplace in Delco) Those rumors seem more believable now than then. Given all the FBI wiretaps in the area, maybe we’ll find out if the rumors are true.
I’m more worried about candidates taking money from the wrong people, than people like Kane getting into a feud.
This list keeps getting longer and longer ….
The TRUTH about Seth Williams:
The guy who recently hired his lawyer’s wife to a six-figure job she is not qualified for.
The guy who is covering up for the person who vandalized City property in front of his house (or maybe in front of his g/f’s house).
The guy who’s Twitter feed once included photos from Big Booty Latina and Big Booty Ebony.
The guy who promotes women he has slept with (maybe said g/f mentioned above).
The guy who spent campaign funds on membership dues at The Union League and The Sporting Club at The Bellvue.
The guy who turned his back on the victim of a violent crime because one of the perpetrators gave him lots of $$$.
The guy who ignored the law and turned his back on the victim of sexual assault.
The guy who lives with his Mommy.
The guy who demoted a top Deputy and hard-working prosecutor because she suggested that the Office not have racist, sexist prosecutors on staff.
The guy that blamed Kane for FBI investigation into his own wrongdoings.
The guy that had a Harrisburg bartender and Corbett Republicans running his PAC and his campaign for re-election.
The guy that has a hard time paying his bills on a $175,000.00 a year job.
The guy that got his ass kicked by a defense attorney and then turned around and hired him as a Deputy.
The guy who is the subject of FBI criminal investigation.
The guy who sips bourbon in a bow-tie at the Union League.
The guy who begs his friends’ friends to let him use their Estates for free.
The guy who gets free field-passes for NFL games and then refuses to prosecute NFL players who sucker-punch off-duty officers.
The guy whose family lives in the suburbs in an illegally paid-for house with the wife that he cheated on repeatedly.
The guy who just had his hallmark-case over-turned by the Supreme Court.
The guy who thinks it’s OK to prosecute people for taking small gifts while he receives $160,000.00 in gifts.
The guy who brought in a washed-up criminal defense attorney/tax-deadbeat to run the D.A.’s Office.
The guy who may be the biggest free-loader in Philly history
Diano- What I saw you doing was strongly supporting a white female over and over and now that you look like a fool you’ve decided to take it out on an African American that’s where I’ve been. That’s racist and you know it.
Pat Unger…aka HaHa why don’t you be a man and stop posting under girlie names. You’re a joke. Go play with your trolls you fat bulbous head thief who couldn’t even get into a grade school that his mommy had to teach him why was that Brett?
David – why are you having a back-and-forth with that nit-wit? You know it’s the same pathetic troll-boy who threatened your business and posted your address.
DO NOT FEED THE TROLL
HaHaHa: PPA’s Baghdad Bob-
A lot of these people are DINO (Democrat in Name Only) and are basically non-Dem opportunists who slapped a D next to their registration and whored their way into office.
Seth Williams sold his Office. He makes Kane look like a Saint. Corey Booker did 10 years. Seth Williams is going to do 20. At least his Mother will have a roof over her head ….. Get it?
Diano, how many more criminal Democrats will be prosecuted before they straighten up?
The TRUTH-
I’ve been trashing Seth for almost a year now. Where have you been?
David, explain the difference between these quid pro quos and the quid pro quo lifestyle of Hillary and Bill Clinton? Free private jet rides, staying in mansions, donations, Hillary taking action as the Secretary of State which is then returned in kind by the beneficiary of Hillary’s action paying Bill $1.5 million for a speech. Shit, $160K is like the single A minor league equivalent to the Clinton’s major league quid pro quo corruption. Poor Seth, he was unaware that he needed the “Williams Foundation” to act as a middleman between his official actions and the donations of influence seekers. Both should be in jail.
Diano…. It’s nice to know you’re moving on to Seth Williams now that the Kathleen Kane story has made you look like an a**. Can’t wait to see what racist comments against African Americans you post next.
Ha3 – OMG. That is a massive story. Levant and Martin must be shitting themselves.
gulag Pittsburgh (aka, Frank Little of Pittsburgh): what did KK have to do with Seth Williams? Seth had to clean up KK’s mess and actually prosecute Democrat lawmakers on the take. How hard is that for you to understand?
And, yes, you have a problem with Cynthia Baldwin, because she was a judge in your divorce and nobody in the courts had any patience for your frivolous litigation. That’s why you’re not an attorney anymore.
Sounds like you and BRETT COTT (aka, HaHaHa, Pat Unger) have similar axes to grind. HaHaHa also has asses to grind, because that’s how he rolls ever since he went to prison.
Even if KK was a evil witch, her good lives on long after. She took out 2 slimy PA Supreme Ct justices and porn pervert Frank Fina. Next up seems to be Seth Williams and all his cohort. Time to turn back to Penn State 3 fiasco at grand jury and get Cynthia Baldwin for obstruction of justice. And what about the Robert Graci whitewash for his buddy, although he had a hidden conflict of interest as his election counsel? Graci covered up for other judges, too. He should already be fired and disbarred.
Agreed, Pat. But Seth Williams doesn’t care about anyone but himself. That’s his problem. That is what will land him in federal prison.
http://www.philadelinquency.com/2016/08/18/indictment-watch-is-philly-d-a-seth-williams-getting-charged/
Hey BRETT COTT (aka, Pat Unger), you don’t have to imagine what his family is going through. It’s just like what your family went through when you went to STATE PRISON for stealing other people’s money.
If Seth Williams had any decency, he would resign immediately. I can only imagine what his family must be going through. If he cares about them, he spares them more pain.
And if he cares about his City, he gets out of the way and let’s someone come in and restore order. Can only imagine the damage he is causing every day that goes by where he is the Hypocrite in Charge.
OMG — Am I going to jail?!?
I told my little cross-eyed husband this was a bad idea. Maybe I should go talk to FBI??
HaHaHa: “Harry Levant stole lots of money from clients…”
Well, BRETT COTT (aka, HaHaHa), I guess you’re the expert on stealing money. And you went to STATE PRISON for it. So, are you so mad at Seth Williams because he put away your cell mate/prison girlfriend?
Oh my!! Seth Williams is in a world of hurt.
Wait til the truth comes out on the Harry Levant case.
Harry Levant is a lawyer. He stole I’ve $1,000,000.00 from clients and insurance companies. But yet he did not do a day in jail. And he has not paid back his victims.
How can that be?
Well – Harry Levant’s Sister-in-Law is Seth’s new “Chief of Staff” at the DA’s Office. For some reason, the DA’s Office did not report the conflict it clearly has. And, for some reason the Units that would normally handle a case like Harry Levant’s did not handle Harry Levant’s case.
Guess who did?
Remember Fina and Costanzo?? They are the Porngate prosecutors that Seth hired and refused to fire even after it was revealed that they are racist perverts.
Well – Fina and Costanzo are suing the State OAG for $$$. One of their lawyers is Bob Levant – Harry’s brother.
Bob Levant is the husband of Seth’s new Chief of Staff.
Turns out – it was Fina’s and Costanzo’s Unit handled Harry Levant’s case!! Yep – they decided it was OK to hook up their lawyer’s brother. Seth Williams thought it was OK for his buddies to be the prosecutor on a case involving their attorney’s brother.
Normally – a case like Harry Levant’s would have come with a Press Release and mostblikely a Press Conference. I mean – a lawyer who ran for judge stole a shot-ton of money. But it was nothing but //CRICKETS// from Seth’s Office.
Wonder why. lol.
Bob and Kathy better have good lawyers. Fina and Costanzo too. They may be sitting next to Seth in Federal Court.
Trying to decide which is worse – this scandal or the tire-slashing scandal. Tough one ….. Wonder which one will be next for the Press after Gift-gate.
Oh, BRETT COTT (aka, HaHaHa, Pat Unger, and several other screen names) just hates Seth Williams, who is another predictably corrupt Democrat. BRETT COTT hates prosecutors, because he was sent to STATE PRISON for ripping people off in his job working for the criminal Democrats in the House.
“turn over every rock”
David – The Feds already have Seth Williams lined up for using campaign funds on personal expenses. Now they will turn vet every Rick to bring down every pay-to-play asshole that bucked up after Seth Williams put a “For Sale” sign on the Philadelphia DA’s Office.
Many people are saying that it was not just a coincidence that scum-bag Scott DiClaudio gave Seth a ton of $$$ and tickets right before Seth Williams helped the scum-bag become a Judge.
There is a competition going on in Philly as to who the bigger scum-bag is: DiClaudio, Kathy Martin or Tariq El Shabazz, Marc Costanzo or Claude Thomas. It’s close …..
Observer–what Williams is doing is petty. What Kane did is evil. She tried to frame an innocent man and blame the leak on him. He could have gone to jail for her crimes.
If nothing else, at least Kathleen Kane brought some much-needed attention on these corrupt clowns.
This is out and out Corruption. What Kane did was stupid and petty, but it didn’t enrich her or sell her office. It’s pretty clear that Seth put a big For Sale sign on the DA’s office… Gotta wonder who paid him to hire Fina and Costanzo against all common sense? One of the Dem AG candidates? A Penn State alum? Johnny Doc, whose brother’s career was in jeopardy?
But he won’t Sean. He is not an honorable man. He is a con man. A two-bit grifter with an astounding sense of entitlement and zero decency. He will have to be dragged out of there (well – he is hardly ever there) kicking and screaming.
Kathleen Martin, Tariq El Shabazz, and the remaining Corbett Pervs better get their resumes ready!!
Sean-
This is a million times more serious than anything Kane did (and a sh*tload more money than was pushed on the state legislators in that racist sting operation that had no quid pro quos). I bet there will be a long list of quid pro quos for these gifts to Seth.
He should resign immediately. Enough is enough. Follow Kathleen Kane out the door.
Has Seth Willians been indicted by the Feds yet?