COLUMBUS, Ohio — A former Columbus lobbyist could spend up to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in a bribery case.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said John Raphael entered a guilty plea Wednesday to honest services wire fraud in connection to a contract with the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
Raphael was the treasurer for the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (FCCFA) and also served on its board. That agency ran the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
In 2014, he became a consultant for one of four companies that put in a bid to be a food vendor at the convention center, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
He did not tell the FCCFA.
In the consulting agreement, he was paid a monthly retainer fee of $5,000 and a "success fee" of $40,000 by the company if the company was chosen.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Raphael sent a draft of the request for proposal and a sample contact to an employee company he was consulting.
The documents were supposed to be confidential and the U.S. Attorney's Office said he did not send them to anyone else.
The company Raphael was consulting eventually won the contract and he received the "success fee" which was part of a total of $144,000 the company paid.
Honest services wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
In 2016, Raphael was sentenced to 15 months in prison, one year of probation and a $5,000 fine in another bribery scheme.
Court records show that he asked Redflex officials for campaign contributions that he said were needed to acquire and expand their contract with the city of Columbus.
Federal officials say $70,000 was funneled through Raphael, as well as state and county Democratic parties to the campaigns of several Columbus elected officials. The public officials and party officials have denied any knowledge of Raphael’s actions
According to federal documents, the bribes started in 2005 when Redflex obtained the sole contract with Columbus for red light enforcement. Redflex was the exclusive vendor of red light cameras in the city of Columbus. Federal court documents add that Redflex’s contract was extended in 2009 when more bribes were attempted and made. The contract was then expanded in 2010.
Raphael admitted his role in a conduit campaign donations. He used his friends and family to donate to the Ohio Democratic Party and elected officials in Columbus and Cincinnati, in violation of federal law.
