Wife of Cuyahoga County Attorney Agrees to Forfeit $1,950,000

William J. Edwards, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, C. Frank Figliuzzi, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Jose “Tony” Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, today announced that the United States filed a civil forfeiture action in connection with the Cuyahoga County corruption investigation.

On December 8, 2009, Teresa Damiani, the widow of Louis C. Damiani, voluntarily turned over to the United States an official check in the amount of $1,950,000. The forfeiture complaint alleges that this money was in the possession of Teresa Damiani, the widow of attorney Louis C. Damiani, as a result of Louis Damiani’s participation in a conspiracy to bribe Public Official 2 in connection with contracts to perform commercial real estate appraisals for the Cuyahoga County Auditor’s Office. Louis Damiani died in September 2006.

This civil forfeiture action is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney James L. Morford. The related criminal cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann C. Rowland and Antoinette T. Bacon. The investigation is being conducted by the Cleveland office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. The investigation is ongoing.

Upon completion of this forfeiture proceeding, it is the intent of the United States to return any forfeited property to Cuyahoga County.

By turning over the $1,950,000 to the United States, Teresa Damiani has voluntarily paid back over half of the funds illegally acquired by her deceased husband during the course of the conspiracy. The United States has agreed to give Ms. Damiani sufficient time to liquidate other assets to repay the balance to Cuyahoga County.

The following individuals have been charged to date in connection with the Cuyahoga County public corruption investigation: