SAO forwards allegations to Economic Crime Unit

Michael Lissack, a community activist, former Wall Street whistleblower and failed County Commission candidate, alleges County Attorney David Weigel, Assistant County Attorney Heidi Ashton and County Manager Jim Mudd covered up a conflict of interest involving an investigation of a environmental services company. All three deny doing anything wrong.

Lissack filed a criminal complaint with the State Attorney's Office on the matter and earlier this month Norman O'Rourke, the head of the Naples State Attorney's Office, sent Lissack a letter telling him the complaint was being sent to the economic crimes office.

State Attorney spokeswoman Chere Avery said no decision has been made on the validity of the charges, and the decision to forward the information to the Economic Crimes Unit, which is operated jointly by the Sheriff' Office and the State Attorney's Office, should not be taken as a sign that Mudd, Weigel or Ashton did anything wrong.

"We have received a sworn complaint and the information in that complaint has been forwarded to the economic crimes division," Avery said. "Just because it has been turned over for investigation doesn't mean we have found any improprieties."

Lissack said he was glad the situation was being investigated. He alleges Jim Ward, administrator of the Pelican Bay Public Services Division and an employee of Severn Trent, had a conflict of interest when he signed off on plans for the Cap d'Antibes high-rise in Pelican Bay in 2001. Ward failed to tell the county that Gulf Bay Co., the developer of the proposed Cap d'Antibes, indirectly pays him to administer the Fiddler's Creek Community Development District.

When the county attorney's office looked at the situation, it found Ward hadn't violated his contract.

Mudd has previously said the complaints have no basis in fact and speculated that Lissack started filing charges against county employees because he was angry at them for not coming to the conclusion that Lissack wanted. Mudd, Weigel and Ashton all looked into Lissack's allegations that Severn Trent and Ward had a conflict of interest.

Lissack also has filed ethics complaints against Mudd, Ashton and Weigel with the Florida Commission on Ethics. He also filed an a ethics complaint against Ward that was dismissed.