NEW ORLEANS - Former chief technology officer Greg Meffert, his wife Linda and city vendor Mark St. Pierre have been indicted on federal corruption charges.
Meffert, his wife and St. Pierre were charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, money laundering, false statements to FBI special agents and filing false tax returns after a federal grand jury returned a 63-count indictment, said Letten. (See the indictment | See indictment fact sheet)
The three indicted, said Letten, “used Meffert’s position with the city to manipulate procurement process for technology services to provide millions of dollars in city business funds to St. Pierre and his companies, who illegally made payoffs or kickbacks to Meffert and his wife Linda or to their direct benefit.”
“Specifically the indictment alleges that Meffert changed city procedures in order to ensure St. Pierre’s companies would receive city business without participating in a competitive bid process,” said Letten, also ensuring that prime contractors served only as a conduit for work directed by Meffert to St. Pierre and his companies.”
Letten added that Meffert failed to disclose his interests in the companies.
Meffert allegedly “approved and facilitated payment to St. Pierre’s companies through a prime contractor of approximately more than $4 million from between 2004 and 2006 and in or about 2006 directed the order of crime cameras for the city of New Orleans through a no-bid process, which permitted St. Pierre to purchase cameras from a out-of-state manufacturer and resell them to Dell Inc, which resold them to the city for St. Pierre to install.”
Monday, a jury found that Meffert conspired with Dell computers and St. Pierre's company NetMethods to unfairly compete against two local technology firms -- Southern Electronics and Active Solutions, awarding the companies $16.3 million.
Letten said that investigation that led to the indictment is not over and is continuing. Letten would not comment whether Mayor Ray Nagin, who hired Meffert, was a future target of federal investigators. He also wouldn’t say if the Mefferts or St. Pierre were cooperating with investigators.
In June federal authorities confirmed a criminal investigation involving the former top aide to Mayor Ray Nagin. The investigation reportedly centered on possible wrong-doing in "the city's technology office, crime camera contracts and unspecified related matters."
Evidence brought up in a civil trial showed Meffert was given a credit card to help technology contractor Mark St. Pierre drum up business. And that Meffert collected technology fees of $67,000 dollars a month immediately upon leaving city hall.
nomax said on November 6, 2009 at 9:31 AM
a
nomax said on November 6, 2009 at 9:31 AM
aaa
nomax said on November 6, 2009 at 9:33 AM
wwl...this new format sucks...why the change???
jjcrn1 said on November 6, 2009 at 9:39 AM
What a creep!!!
rhettswife said on November 6, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Please, dears, let's all pray that it will not be simply Meffert that faces indictment but Nagin and others in his administration.
jjcrn1 said on November 6, 2009 at 10:57 AM
WWl this is a stupid format!!! What is wrong with the ols way!!! Come on!!!
proudvet said on November 6, 2009 at 11:31 AM
One good indictment most certainly will start the domino's falling and they may end up in the mayor's office...........................
swimmimg said on November 6, 2009 at 11:53 AM
I hate the new format. I suspect many will leave this station.
nolagirl said on November 6, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Please let Nagin be next. I hate the new format too. Haven't y'all heard if it aint broke, don't fix it? Maybe someone got a new position over at WWL and had to make their own changes :(
nomax said on November 6, 2009 at 12:19 PM
ok wwl........this new format is terrible compared to the old one....why the change???and whats up with the captcha??JANITOR FARTS?? really???look at the comments above regarding this change......
macarpen said on November 6, 2009 at 12:23 PM
$67,000 dollars a month?!?! And that drew no suspicions from anyone at City Hall or the financial department???? Corruption RUNS DEEP IN NEW ORLEANS!!!!! As for this new format for these forums- they truly do suck for now, however I suspect that as the bugs get worked out and users become more acquainted with it, it will work better than the old system. As you may have noticed, I haven't been posting as much because I don't have time to figure out how to deal with the new format.
denise70460 said on November 6, 2009 at 12:33 PM
I agree with many others who post here..... THIS NEW FORMAT WILL MAKE FREQUENT USERS GO TO OTHER NEWS WEBSITES, If that was your goal, you did it!
karmainc said on November 6, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Ahhhh, LINDA.... couldn't happen to a nicer person. You're no better than your scumbag husband. Karma sucks huh? You crapped on a lot of people who will savor this moment.
jennsalt said on November 6, 2009 at 12:56 PM
Soon Nagin, very soon Nagin. You will get your turn. Hopefully before the end of your term. As for the new format-- It is not difficult; there is nothing wrong with it.
jennsalt said on November 6, 2009 at 12:58 PM
I don't see any problem with the new format.
fritz said on November 6, 2009 at 1:22 PM
THE MAYOR WILL BE NEXT.
fritz said on November 6, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Please change the Fromat back too where it was. This is terrible
fritz said on November 6, 2009 at 1:26 PM
The format is terrible and please change it back to the original one
abc123 said on November 6, 2009 at 1:40 PM
WWLTV - YOU NEED A NEW WEB DESIGNER. THIS IS PITIFUL! HOPEFULLY NAGOON IS NEXT.
rhettswife said on November 6, 2009 at 2:20 PM
Santa, baby, please be nice to me. I have been a good girl all year. Please bring me an indictment of C. Ray for Christmas.
getitright said on November 6, 2009 at 4:26 PM
since many of you do not like the new website format, maybe WWL can hire Meffert and St Pierre to redo the website.
ispeeksasiplease said on November 6, 2009 at 5:14 PM
63 counts??? WOW!!
proudvet said on November 6, 2009 at 6:05 PM
How did no one in City Hall know that Meffert had circumvented the bid system to award technology contracts to St. Pierre's company. They (the mayor and others) had to know that contracts were not put up for bids.
tblms123 said on November 7, 2009 at 4:11 PM
Here is another reason why the city will not prosper under Nagin. First he pays this a-hole from California, like things are so perfect out there(my daughter has been waiting for her state refund check for two years.) Now this joker taking what ever he could get, and Nagin closing his eyes to everything. He should be investigated, and also the nuts on the city council . How do you vote yourself a raise. I know I would n ot vote against it!!!!!
indexfinger said on November 7, 2009 at 10:13 PM
WWL should hire Meffert to fix this hot mess of a website.
nightplumber67 said on November 7, 2009 at 10:15 PM
What a tangled web we weave.
synbad said on November 8, 2009 at 8:03 AM
You can keep this format, it sucks. won't be hearing from me amymore. So long