Suspended Philadelphia judge pleads guilty to lying to FBI about small-claims case
A federal sting operation has led to the downfall of a second Philadelphia municipal judge, over possible favorable treatment in a small-claims case of a political supporter of former Judge Joseph Waters.
Suspended Judge Joseph O’Neill, 65, pleaded guilty on Thursday in federal court in Philadelphia to two counts of making false statements to the FBI, according to the Legal Intelligencer (sub. req.) and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The government said O’Neill denied, when he was contacted by federal agents, that he had had conversations in 2011 with now-convicted former Judge Joseph Waters about a case over a $2,700 security alarm contract.
As captured by the feds on recording equipment and recounted in court filings, Waters told O’Neill in one conversation: “He’s a friend of mine, so if you can, take a hard look at it.” Waters was referring to Democratic fundraiser Samuel Kuttab, whose property management company was a defendant in the case.
“No problem,” responded O’Neill, who later issued a ruling in Kuttab’s favor and eventually helped broker a $600 settlement, the Inquirer reports.
Philadelphia magazine provides a copy of the relevant portion of the phone conversation transcript.
Waters pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud in a case-fixing prosecution in 2014, and was sentenced last year to a two-year prison term. Kuttab got six months.
Another suspended judge, Dawn Segal, has not been criminally charged. But she is also accused, in a legal ethics case, of doing favors for Waters. She is still fighting to keep her job, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported last month. Her lawyer says she has cooperated with the FBI.
A fourth judge, Angeles Roca, also faces a legal ethics case, after allegedly seeking help from Waters in a tax-delinquency case involving her son.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “FBI wiretap showed judge promoted ex parte communications, legal ethics complaint says”
Legal Intelligencer (sub. req.): “Two Municipal Court Judges Suspended Without Pay”
Philadelphia Inquirer: “Court: City Judge O’Neill to face federal charges”
