Undercover Photos Lead to Senator Dianne Wilkerson’s Arrest
In “Best Creative Use of an Undergarment” news today, State Senator Dianne Wilkerson of Massachusetts is under arrest on accusations that she stuffed cash bribes into her bra.
Wilkerson, who is charged with public corruption, has been under investigation for 18 months, the FBI indicates. Federal agents released undercover photos that they say show the senator accepting money — and, yes, shoving the bills into her brassiere:
It doesn’t end there, though. Investigators believe Dianne Wilkerson had taken as much as $20,000 in exchange for filing certain pieces of law in the Senate. Some of the other allegations, according to the FBI report — available in its entirety here (PDF) — include taking $8,500 to help a nightclub obtain its liquor license and proposing a law to help developers avoid legally required bidding procedures. (The FBI document also contains additional undercover photos.)
This isn’t Dianne Wilkerson’s first brush with trouble. The senator admitted violating campaign finance laws in 2004 and paid a $10,000 fine as a result. She has also served time in a halfway house following an income tax evasion investigation, The Boston Herald reports.
If convicted on the new charges, Wilkerson could face 20 years in prison for each count as well as numerous fines.
