Former Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard and Former Parish Attorney Tom Wilkinson, were charged today in a 38-count superseding indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with conspiracy, wire fraud, and theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, according to U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.

According to Letten's news release, "Beginning in late 2003, after being elected President of Jefferson Parish, defendants Broussard and Wilkinson devised a scheme to defraud the citizens of Jefferson Parish by, among other things, creating a position for Karen Parker, Broussard's former wife, as a paralegal supervisor at the Jefferson Parish Attorney’s Office under the supervision of Wilkinson, who was retained by Broussard, as the Parish Attorney."

According to the superseding indictment, despite the fact that the paralegal supervisor position required paralegal training and certification, Parker, who was not trained or certified as a paralegal, was hired and was paid a salary above and beyond the range authorized for civil service employees.

Today’s superseding indictment adds five new counts charging the two with wire fraud and one new count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds according to Letten's office.  

These new counts allege that Broussard used approximately $36,000 in taxpayer funds to reward Wilkinson for assisting Broussard's family member in the competitive admissions process at a local private school where Wilkinson was a board member.  Specifically, the new release says Broussard instructed then Chief Administrative Officer Tim Whitmer to give Wilkinson the discretionary $36,000 per year raise because Broussard believed that Wilkinson had gotten Broussard's family member into the local private school.  

Former federal prosecutor Chick Foret says it shows Parker and Whitmer are providing good info the government after they cut deals at the courthouse.

"They have two cooperating individuals, Tim Whitmer and Karen Parker, who are filling in the blanks," Foret told WWL First News.  "It's a clear case that the federal government now has many more specific facts as it relates to the allegations in the indictment."

Legal analyst Chick Foret:


Broussard and Wilkinson are charged in all 38 counts of the Indictment.  Letten's office says, "As to Count 1, if convicted of the conspiracy, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, three years supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.  

"Counts 2-23 charge the defendants with wire fraud.  As to each of these counts, the maximum penalty the defendants face, if convicted, is not more than twenty years imprisonment, followed by a term of supervised release of up to three years, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.  Finally, Counts 34-38 charge the defendants with theft concerning programs receiving federal funds."  

The maximum penalty the defendants face, if convicted, according to the news release is not more than ten years imprisonment, followed by a term of supervised release of up to three years, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.

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

The case is being investigated by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations and the Metropolitan Crime Commission.