NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
JANUARY 22, 2008

 

LOCAL BUSINESSMAN CHARGED WITH STRUCTURING ELLENESE
BROOKS-SIMMS' BRIBERY CHECK

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - BURNELL MOLIERE, age 58, a resident of Destrehan, Louisiana, was charged in a one-count bill of information with structuring a financial transaction to evade federal currency transaction reporting requirements, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.

According to bill of information, Ellenese Brooks-Simms contacted BURNELL MOLIERE in January of 2005 to cash a $40,000 check she received from local businessman ("Mr. A") as a "kickback" in connection with her promotion and approval of an Orleans Parish School Board's contract involving the lease/purchase of a computer based educational system. After agreeing to cash the check written to a nominee payee they both knew, MOLIERE deposited the check into his personal bank account. After depositing the $40,000 check, MOLIERE then structured the release of the funds through an elaborate series of subsequent financial transactions designed to evade the federal currency transaction reporting requirements surrounding the cashing of any check over ten thousand dollars ($10,000) and to conceal the flow of illicit monies between Mr. A and Ellenese Brooks-Simms. The scheme involved the use of multiple cash withdrawals and the use of straw-payee cash checkers and occurred in January of 2005.

If convicted, BURNELL MOLIERE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, a fine of $250,000.00 and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

U. S. Attorney Letten reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Criminal Division of the Internal Revenue Service and the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Education. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorneys Salvador Perricone, Richard R. Pickens, II and Michael Simpson.

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