Thursday, March 24, 2022

Guilty!

Former Atlanta powerbroker Mitzi Bickers is going to prison.  A jury convicted her on nine counts of money laundering, conspiracy to commit bribery, and wire fraud Tuesday but found her not guilty on corruption charges involving Jackson.  WXIA reported: 

Mitzi Bickers, a former city official under ex-Mayor Kasim Reed and a political power player after she left his administration, was found guilty on several crimes in a federal corruption trial.

A jury convicted Bickers on nine of the 12 charges she faced, acquitting her on three others.

Bickers faced charges that included three related to bribery, three for money laundering, four for wire fraud, one for witness tampering and one for making false statements/falsifying tax returns....

Bickers was indicted back in 2018, accused of using "her influence as a high-ranking City of Atlanta official and later as a connected political consultant to steer lucrative city contracts" to two contractors in exchange for bribes.

"The illicit arrangement netted over $2 million in bribes for Bickers and almost $17 million in city contracts," for the contractors she had allegedly conspired with, the U.S. Attorney's Office said at the time.

The contractors, Elvin Mitchell and Charles Richards, pleaded guilty to paying the bribes and were sentenced to federal prison time.Article

However, the jury found Bickers not guilty of the charges she bribed former Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber.  A federal grand jury indicted Atlanta political operative Mitzi Bickers on October 22, 2018 for allegedly bribing Jackson officials.  The indictment alleges she paid bribes to obtain contracts for a proposed convention center hotel as well as management of the wastewater program under a federal consent decree. Bickers worked in the 2014 campaign of Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber and donated $10,000 as well. 

The former Jackson Mayor provided some rather salacious testimony in Bickers' trial.  The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last week: 

He had chauffeured limousine rides whenever he came to town, according to his testimony in federal court on Friday in the Atlanta City Hall corruption trial.

When he visited several times in 2014, Yarber said, he flew in on a private plane or first-class on Delta Air Lines. He stayed at the Ritz-Carlton downtown. A beautiful woman accompanied him to buy clothes for a Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly outdoor concert he attended free of charge.

The patron of this largesse, federal prosecutors allege, was Pastor Mitzi Bickers.

Bickers, a former political operative and city employee, is accused of receiving $2 million in a cash-for-contracts scheme at Atlanta City Hall. But on Friday prosecutors outlined allegations she used her influence in getting Yarber elected mayor of Mississippi’s capital city to try to swing Jackson city contracts her way.

Prosecutors say Bickers was giving Yarber the star treatment because she was laying the ground work get a bite of a $1 billion contract to fix Jackson’s 100-plus year old sewer system as well as a piece of another $75 million contract for a new convention center hotel.... Article

Former Mayor Yarber said he told the defendant "I can get you to the table, the rest is up to you."  Unfortunately for Bickers, she went back to Atlanta with none of the prized contracts in hand despite her efforts to win the city's favor. 2018 post & copy of indictment.  That little fact is probably what earned her acquittal. 

Bickers will be sentenced in July.  

Atlanta Journal-Constitution coverage of verdict.


  

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bullshit. White politicians do this all the time but I guess that’s ok huh

Kingfish said...

And they go to jail too.

Anonymous said...

11:21: Cain killed Abel, so that makes it OK. Feel free to murder your brother, if you think your Father favors him over you.

Anonymous said...

KF, she’s not the only one headed to jail. 👁🤳🏽👌🏾

Anonymous said...

Laughable that she's innocent of Jackson corruption. Meh, another "person of god" will step right in her place. What of Big Tony ?

Dang! said...

Chowke gonna be busier than ever now with the garbage problem AND having to put together an RFP to put bars on the windows over at the Mitzi Bar?!

What you bet someone in the investigation said...

"When it comes to the alleged corruption with the City of Jackson, Mississippi, we could find no mention of Ms. Bickers in the minutes of the City Council meetings. For that fact, no minutes were found whatsoever."

Anonymous said...

12:05 :LOL.

Anonymous said...

Shhhh.

Anonymous said...

If she is guilty, that mean Danyelle Holmes & Rekia is going to jail too.

Anonymous said...

Outstanding!!!!!

Ms. Charlatan said...

She is also some kind of "minister," as there are photos of her on the web wearing a clerical collar. Bless her heart.

Anonymous said...

2:58 I would be scared to death to enter a church pastored by the Reverend Bickers. I fear God. I really do.

Anonymous said...

This basically means fuck all for Jackson since the Jackson charge got an acquittal.

Anonymous said...

that jury didn't believe anything that tony yarber said. another shit talking mayor from jackson mississippi......imagine that.

Anonymous said...

What's this mean for Tony, if anything at all? Kingfish's silence on that one is noted.


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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

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In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

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This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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