Md. County Exec & Wife, Both Lawyers, Allegedly Hid $79K in Her Bra as Feds Listened
Once law school sweethearts, two married officials in Prince George County, Md., are now allegedly partners in crime.
Today outgoing county executive Jack Johnson and his wife, Leslie Johnson, who has been elected to the county council, were arrested on federal charges of witness tampering and destruction of evidence and released, reports the Washington Post. The charges related to an ongoing investigation of claimed gift-giving by developers in exchange for favorable treatment.
An affidavit says the feds were listening in as the two talked on a phone in a frantic effort to hide evidence as agents of the FBI were literally knocking on the front door of their home in Mitchellville.
Jack Johnson, 61, allegedly told his wife where to find a $100,000 check and then urged her to “Tear it up!” and flush it down the toilet. (A flushing sound was then heard.) He also allegedly urged her to hide cash in her underwear, telling her “Put it in your bra and walk out or something, I don’t know what to do,” the newspaper reports.
Authorities said they entered the house after hearing Leslie Johnson, 58, say she’d stashed the cash as instructed, and found $79,600 in her bra.
The article doesn’t include any comment from the couple or their lawyers.
The case is being handled in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt.
Additional coverage:
Associated Press: “Maryland county executive, wife arrested”
WBAL-TV: ”Prince George’s County Executive, Wife Arrested”
