Overview
- Federal prosecutors unsealed a five-count indictment Thursday charging Phil LeVota with honest services fraud, federal program bribery, Travel Act violations, and making false statements to investigators.
- The indictment alleges that between March 16 and March 31 LeVota sought to induce a candidate to leave the 2026 county executive race by offering full‑time county jobs for the candidate and a colleague.
- Local reporting cites an offered position valued at about $165,000 but that figure is reported by a local outlet and not independently verified in court filings.
- LeVota made an initial federal court appearance and has denied wrongdoing, while county leaders are split over whether he should resign as the county continues business such as a major property tax settlement.
- U.S. Attorney Matthew Price said the case reflects a strong stance against public corruption, and the charges use statutes meant to punish schemes that deprive the public of officials’ honest services and use interstate commerce to further bribery.