DeBartolo Expected to Enter Plea in Riverboat Case
Edward DeBartolo Jr., owner of the San Francisco 49ers, probably will enter a plea bargain today in connection with the investigation of former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards, the Associated Press has learned.
DeBartolo reached the plea agreement with federal prosecutors last month in which he reportedly will be granted leniency in exchange for testifying against Edwards, according to a source close to the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The move could help DeBartolo in his efforts to regain control of the 49ers. He resigned as chairman and turned management control of the team over to his sister last December after he was notified by prosecutors that he was a target of the investigation. According to the source, DeBartolo is expected to enter a plea to a minor crime, pay a fine and avoid jail time in exchange for his testimony.
The Times-Picayune of New Orleans reported that the fine could be as high as $1 million.
The investigation appears to focus on the licensing of riverboat casinos in Louisiana.
Prosecutors say DeBartolo was involved in a scheme to illegally influence the awarding of a riverboat casino license, according to media reports. A DeBartolo partnership won the state’s last riverboat casino license in March 1997, just days after DeBartolo gave Edwards $400,000 in cash. Edwards has said the money was for legal and lobbying services.
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