FBI's Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending December 12, 2008

1. Chicago: Illinois Governor Arrested

Governor Rod R. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff John Harris were arrested on federal corruption charges including conspiring to trade or sell the Illinois’ Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

2. New York: Former Chairman of NASDAQ Arrested

Bernard L. Madoff, investment advisor and former Chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, was charged with securities fraud in a multi-billion Ponzi scheme.

3. San Diego: CEO Sentenced in $3 Billion Stock Manipulation Scheme

Stephen Parker Gardner, former Chief Executive Officer of Peregrine Systems, Inc. was sentenced on charges of conspiracy, securities fraud, and obstruction of justice.

4. Washington Field Office: Blackwater Employees Indicted on Manslaughter Charges

Five Blackwater employees were charged with killing 14 unarmed civilians and wounding 20 others at Nisur Square in Baghdad.

5. Boston: Former State Senator Indicted

Former Massachusetts State Senator Dianne Wilkerson and Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner were charged with multiple federal felony charges including extortion.

6. Albany: Former State Supreme Court Justice Indicted

Thomas J. Spargo, former Supreme Court Justice of the Third Judicial Circuit of the New York State was charged with attempted extortion.

7. Cleveland: City Council Member Charged with Bribery

Cleveland City Council Member Robert J. White, III was charged with accepting a bribe in exchange for the performance of his official duties.

8. Boston: Chinese Nationals Arrested

Zhen Zhou Wu, Yufeng Wei and Bo Li were charged with conspiring to violate U.S. export laws by falsely identifying the ultimate destination of U.S. goods.

9. Louisville: Deputy Jailers Sentenced for Civil Rights Violations

Wesley Lanham and Shawn Freeman, former deputy jailers at Grant County Detention Center, were sentenced for arranging the rape of a teenage traffic offender by inmates.

10. Kansas City: 110 Arrests in Violent Gang Crime Sweep

More than 160 federal, state and local investigators conducted a large-scale, two-day sweep to combat the city’s rising homicide rate.