Marcos Daniel Jiménez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Assistant Attorney General Christopher A. Wray of the Criminal Division; Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Brian J. Wimpling, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service announced today that John L. “Jack” London, 67, of Key West, Florida, was arrested on a complaint issued in the Southern District of Florida charging him with making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation agents.
London was arrested at the Key West International Airport while attempting to leave the country for Ireland. The initial appearance was held this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Theodore Klein. Arraignment was scheduled for April 12, 2004, and bail was set at $100,000 personal bond and $50,000 corporate surety bond. The Magistrate also ordered London’s spouse, Elaine London, to surrender her passport and travel documents. London maintains United States and Irish citizenship; his passports were seized at the time of arrest.
The complaint concerns London’s 1997 receipt of $29,000, while serving as Mayor of Monroe County, from a consultant who had been hired by a real estate developer to assist with obtaining building permits from the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners. London allegedly used these monies to satisfy an outstanding lien against a residential property London owned in Cork, Ireland. According to the criminal complaint, when agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation confronted him about his receipt of the $29,000, London misled the investigators regarding the origin of the funds.
Mr. Jiménez commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Clark and Brenda K. Morris, Trial Attorney with the Public Integrity Section, U.S. Department of Justice.
