Dec.12, 2009

A father-son team of developers was arrested Friday after former County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion told prosecutors he had accepted $25,000 in cash and a golf membership from them in exchange for his votes.

Bruce Chait, 61, president of Prestige Homes of South Florida, and son Shawn Chait, 36, turned themselves in to the Broward County Jail at about 2 p.m., with each facing three felony counts -- bribery, unlawful compensation and perjury. They could face up to 35 years in prison each if convicted as charged.

Eggelletion, 60, pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to conspiring to launder money in what turned out to be a sting orchestrated by undercover FBI agents. He faces up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines in that case. He also resigned.

Court documents made public Friday show that Eggelletion talked with the Broward State Attorney's Office after being arrested Nov. 5 on a separate state charge that he illegally accepted a membership to the Parkland Golf and Country Club.

In a sworn statement, he said the Chaits had bribed him to favor their projects.

Johnny McCray, Eggelletion's attorney, declined comment Friday on whether his client is cooperating with state prosecutors.

The Chaits' attorney, David Bogenschutz, said the case against his clients is wholly based on claims from Eggelletion, who now is an admitted felon.

I'm surprised that any responsible prosecution agency would take the sole word of a person who has been described as one of the most corrupt officials in Broward County, Bogenschutz said. ``However, that being said, I believe the State Attorney's Office is in for a wild ride on this case.

The Chaits were expected to bond out of jail Friday night.

In his sworn statement on Nov. 13, Eggelletion said Shawn Chait paid his $3,200 golf membership dues in August 2006 and that he accepted the $25,000 while at the club with the father and son in December 2006.

The payments were for favorable votes on Prestige Homes projects, Eggelletion told prosecutors.

The day Eggelletion accepted the golf membership, he voted for a Prestige Homes proposal to redevelop two golf courses in his central Broward district.

He voted favorably on five additional commission items related to Prestige Homes during the last three years, according to court records.

Shawn Chait told prosecutors that when he handed the $3,200 in cash to the country club's membership director, he was doing Eggelletion a favor. The younger Chait said Eggelletion was in a hurry to leave the golf course that day, and that he gave him the money to pass along to purchase the membership, according to court documents.

Authorities are also scrutinizing the relationship between the Chaits and School Board member Stephanie Kraft.

She is facing a complaint filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics questioning whether she misused her position to help the Chaits and failed to disclose that her husband was doing work for them.