Lexington County Lawyer Indicted for Fraud and Extortion
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 20, 2012 |
COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a federal grand jury in Columbia, South Carolina returned an indictment against Richard J. Breibart, of Lexington. Mr. Breibart was charged in a 10-count indictment with Hobbs Act Extortion, mail fraud, and wire fraud, violations of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1951, 1341, and 1343. The maximum penalty Breibart could receive is 20 years’ imprisonment on each count.
Breibart made his initial appearance in federal court before the Magistrate Judge Shiva Hodges. Bond was set in the amount of $100,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorneys Jim May and Winston Holliday of the Columbia office for prosecution.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.