20 Million Dollars for a Speech?

Harriet Walters, the alleged mastermind in that 20-million-dollar theft from the DC Tax and Revenue Office paid a co-worker 20 thousand dollars for her assistance in writing a speech that Walters had to deliver. That according to a well placed source in the scandal that has rocked the DC government and shaken confidence in the Chief Financial officer's office.

When asked why she paid so much for the speech assistance, the reply was "It was a great speech.

The 51-year-old Walters was ordered held in jail without bond by US Magistrate Allan Kays on Tuesday. This after federal Prosecutors argued she was a high risk to flee the country because only 6 point 5 million of the 20 million stolen since 2004 has been accounted for; They suspect the rest of the loot may be hidden in banks in the Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic or even Paris based on what was said in court.

Sources say Walters had long been considered a very very generous manager at work. She paid for home repairs, down payments for homes; cars, and countless gifts for her co-workers. There were gambling trips to Atlantic City and Los Vegas according to people in position to know and personal loans to dozens of fellow workers in and outside her immediate office.

The explanation for all the wealth according to one insider, "was that her father was a successful banker in the Caribbean".

It has already been reported that Walters allegedly spent one point four million dollars at Neiman-Marcus.

I also learned the FBI this week issued a warrant for a vehicle, a Yukon, belonging to the son of Diane Gustus, Walter's co-conspirator in the case. Arrangements were being made for the vehicle to be turned in on Wednesday to investigators.

Prosecutors in court said Harriet Walters and her 12 co-conspirators were stealing and spending an average 7 million dollars per year of DC taxpayer's money. They have moved to seize all her assets, including homes in DC, in New Jersey, The Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic.

Walter's defense attorney, who indicated she can't pay him so he will be gone after Tuesday, argued she no longer has any assets; he argued in court that she's an American Citizen who has lived in the area for more than 20 years and therefore not likely to flee.

Federal magistrate Alan Kaye wasn't moved...citing the amount of money still unaccounted for and the scope of the conspiracy Walter's allegedly headed, She was ordered held without bond. There was also this information which the defense never challenged...Prosecutors say Harriet Walters "confessed" to everything shortly after her arrest.