How Many Plea bargains in DC Tax Office Theft?

Here's a prediction based on conversations with several sources close to the DC Tax Office theft of millions of dollars. A lot of people are going to prison! I reported more than a week ago on Nine News Now that legal observers expected Harriet Walters, the alleged mastermind in the conspiracy, would seek a plea to reduce her sentence.

Walters made clear in court on Wednesday that she is looking to reduce a possible 20 year prison stay in exchange for telling the government where she spent all or part of what could turn out to be 30 plus million dollars.

Known as "Mother Harriet" for her generosity in sharing her loot with co-workers Walters appeared in US District Court before a magistrate with a court appointed attorney. She's claiming to be broke.

Scroll down further in this blog to read where the money went!

A source tells me that early this week the legal team for alleged co-conspirator Diane Gustus met with federal prosecutors to hear their plea offer. No agreement as yet. It's been made clear that the criminals who "get in here first will get the best deals".

Here's something to think about....one of the Tax and Revenue managers forced out by the scandal tells me the office collects a million dollars every twenty minutes from DC taxpayers.

Prosecutors and embarrassed DC Money managers want a quick plea from Walters in hopes of recovering some of the stolen loot. The suspicion is much of it is gone in Vegas and Atlantic City or off shore purchases.

Finally, forget all that earlier talk about this being a sophisticated scam that "auditors would not have caught" as the CFO and others first claimed.

Sources close to this case say this was an incredibly sloppy scheme that could have easily been detected by Walter's supervisors or outside auditors( there was no audit) if someone had just looked at the commercial property tax returns from time to time.

Harriet Walters name was not only the final signature on these illegal returns...she showed up at 441 Fourth street NW (Judiciary square), where the DC Treasurer's Office is located, to pick up the stolen government checks which averaged 388 thousand dollars after they were cut.

Look for the employee (investigators have a name) who handed her all those checks to also try and cut a deal with prosecutors.

Finally...here's the name of another career city government employee who lost her job in all of this...Susan Lee, an attorney, had been Harriet Walter's immediate supervisor in the office of adjustments. Lee was Deputy Chief.