A federal indictment issued yesterday charges that four businessmen tried to funnel $30,000 in campaign contributions to Mayor Street's 2003 reelection campaign to help secure a contract at Philadelphia International Airport.
"This was a blatant attempt to buy influence," U.S. Attorney Patrick L. Meehan said.
The four men are charged with defrauding the company they were working for - Sky Sites Inc., a subsidiary of JCDecaux SA, a French-based media company that supplied indoor, back-lit advertising displays to airports.
In Pennsylvania, corporations are barred from making political contributions. Authorities said the four created a phony paper trail to hide the source of the money.
The indictment accuses no public official of wrongdoing.
Street said he knew nothing of the indictment or the advertising contract.
Referring to the award process in general, he said, "Our process is absolutely aboveboard."
JCDecaux is considered a corporate victim, authorities said. The company is cooperating, said lawyer Ronald Levine.
The four charged are:
Joseph Evans, 50, of Oyster Bay, N.Y., former Sky Sites chief executive officer. His attorney, David Howard, said: "This case is going to trial and [Evans] expects to be fully vindicated."
Joseph Moderski, 68, of Bryn Mawr, a marketing consultant. He is innocent, lawyer Will Spade said.
Eric Selby, 39, of Washington Grove, Md., a former Sky Sites vice president. He will plead guilty, lawyer Richard Scheff said.
Terry Crockett, 61, of Philadelphia, an architectural consultant. His attorney, Joel Slomsky, declined to comment.
Each man faces fraud and conspiracy charges. If convicted, Moderski and Evans likely face 18 to 24 months in prison. Crockett and Selby probably would face about a year.
To read the indictment, go to http://go.philly.com/airportcontracts
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