Silberman Chronology

A chronology of the money-laundering case against Richard T. Silberman:

September, 1986: The FBI began an investigation into the activities of reputed mobster Chris Petti of San Diego. The probe, which relied heavily on wiretaps, focused on mob interest in gaming operations at the Rincon Indian reservation.

September, 1988: The possibility of an indictment from the probe into Petti’s interest in the Rincon reservation was becoming increasingly remote. Meanwhile, prosecutors said, Silberman called Petti to see if Petti knew anyone interested in laundering money.

Nov. 9, 1988: At a Mission Valley coffee shop, Petti introduced Silberman to Pete Carmassi. Posing as a front man for Colombian drug lords, Carmassi really was Peter J. Ahearn, an undercover FBI agent. Ahearn testified that he told Silberman that the source of his funds was Colombian drug deals; Silberman testified that Carmassi said no such thing. Also at the meeting was government informer Robert Benjamin, who first introduced Ahearn to Petti.

Nov. 30, 1988: The first of the two deals that formed the basis of the case against Silberman got under way in a Los Angeles hotel room when Ahearn delivered $100,000 cash, wrapped in a shoe box, to Jack Myers and Darryl Nakatsuka. According to trial testimony, Silberman had told Ahearn that the code for the delivery that night: “You tell them you’re ‘Mexico,’ and they’ll tell you they’re ‘Baja.’ ”

Jan. 5, 1989: According to Silberman, Benjamin, the government informer, called Silberman and threatened Silberman’s wife, San Diego County Supervisor Susan Golding, and their children. Benjamin repeated the threats in another call on Feb. 4, Silberman testified. Benjamin testified he made no such threats.

Feb. 7, 1989: Silberman and Ahearn met again, to discuss a second deal. It evolved into a swap of $200,000 for U.S. Treasury bonds, according to prosecutors.

April 7, 1989: Silberman was arrested on money-laundering charges moments after leaving another San Diego hotel room, where, prosecutors said, he was negotiating a third transaction with Ahearn. According to FBI agents, Silberman confessed. Silberman was taken to jail, but released on bail the next day.

April 21, 1989: Silberman was named in a grand jury indictment charging him with laundering $300,000 that Ahearn had portrayed as the proceeds of Colombian drug trafficking. He pleaded not guilty. Also indicted on related charges were Petti, Myers and Nakatsuka. Ziegler was added in a subsequent indictment.

Feb. 15, 1990: Silberman was seen at Lindbergh Field, purchasing a USAir ticket to Los Angeles International Airport, reportedly after having told his family he was going to a business meeting in Orange County.

Feb. 17, 1990: Silberman was found unconscious in a Las Vegas hotel room. According to Golding, he took an overdose of sleeping pills and tried to kill himself, believing he could not get a fair trial before Irving. After being discharged Feb. 19 from a Las Vegas hospital, Silberman spent two weeks in a San Francisco psychiatric hospital before returning to San Diego.

March 9, 1990: Irving ruled that the thousands of wiretaps in the case were conducted legally, clearing the way for the use of dozens of secretly recorded tapes at Silberman’s trial. Many of the taps were instituted under the nation’s first use of a “roving wiretap,” by which FBI agents monitored multiple phones, including even public pay phones.

April 10, 1990: Ziegler pleaded guilty to one criminal count of violating federal currency laws.

May 1, 1990: Jury selection in Silberman’s case began.

May 14, 1990: Myers pleaded guilty to a single count of violating federal currency laws and agreed to testify against Silberman. Myers is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 24. The remaining two men, Petti and Nakatsuka, are scheduled to stand trial Sept. 26.

May 16, 1990: Silberman’s trial began with opening statements by government prosecutor Charles F. Gorder Jr. and defense lawyer James J. Brosnahan. Testimony began May 18 and continued through June 13. Silberman testified for two days and maintained his innocence.

June 18, 1990: Ziegler was sentenced to six months in custody.

June 19, 1990: The jury in Silberman’s case began deliberations.

June 28, 1990: Jurors convicted Silberman of one count of violating a federal currency law. Irving immediately sent Silberman to jail, fearing he was a flight risk.

June 29, 1990: The jury announced it was deadlocked on several other counts, and Irving declared a mistrial. Gorder said prosecutors would seek a second trial on the unresolved charges.

Aug. 24, 1990: In a plea bargain, Silberman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to launder cash. Prosecutors agreed to drop the unresolved counts and to recommend that Silberman receive a 41- to 51-month prison term. Irving set sentencing for Sept. 25.