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Norfolk officials could be in hot water for dealings with local businessman accused of bribery

Posted at 7:06 PM, Sep 19, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-19 20:13:21-04

NORFOLK, Va. - More charges for other high-ranking city officials in Norfolk could be coming.

A local businessman plead guilty to bank fraud and briberyon September 16.

At least two others were mentioned in court records, accused of working closely with Ronald Boone.

The 67-year-old entered a guilty plea for bribery and bank fraud.

The federal government accuses him of working with Norfolk City Treasurer Anthony Burfoot to make deals that would benefit Boone's business ventures.

Court records state that another one high ranking city official took cash and other things of value from Boone sometime between 2002 and 2012.

It also states another high-ranking employee of the Treasurer’s office received an undocumented $5,000 loan from Boone.  Their names aren't listed, so we asked News 3 Legal Analyst David Cardon why.

“There could be a couple reasons. It could be that they could want those individuals to help them to investigate other people,” said Cardon.

Cardon said they might not have enough evidence against the other officials.

“If you mentioned somebody by name then all the sudden they are on the defensive … they're not going to be as open to potentially discuss what they might have done wrong to investigators,” said Cardon.

Burfoot has his own upcoming criminal trial November 7 and there's a good possibility that city officials could be called to testify.

His lawyer - Andrew Sacks strongly denies the accusations against Burfoot.

Cardon said there are people in power throughout Hampton Roads will likely be watching this case closely.

“Even if the federal government isn't going to pursue any legal action against some of these people in positions of power it's still a wake up call to know that they are being watched and held to a certain standard, if they don't meet that standard and they do the wrong thing than the government will come after them,” said Cardon.

According to the plea agreement no one in Boone's immediate family will be prosecuted related to any of the charges he is facing.  Boone is scheduled to be sentenced January 26, 2017