Wright convicted on federal corruption charges

City Councilman Jack Kelly's former chief of staff, Chris Wright, was convicted on federal corruption charges yesterday along with Kelly campaign treasurer Andy Teitelman and political donor Ravinder Chawla.

A jury found Wright, Teitelman and Chawla guilty of conspiracy to commit honest-services fraud and two mail fraud charges. Chawla was also found guilty on a single wire fraud charge.

Chawla's brother, Hardeep, was acquitted on four counts, including conspiracy and bribery.

The jury, which deliberated for six days and declared itself deadlocked on some charges Thursday, acquitted Wright, Teitelman and Ravinder Chawla on 24 other corruption counts.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bresnick called the conspiracy charge "the big one" at the center of the investigation.

"Chris Wright sold his office," Bresnick added. "We're thrilled the jury came back with this verdict."

Attorneys for Wright, Teitelman and Chawla called the jury's guilty verdict for the conspiracy count inconsistent with the acquittals on several other counts. They intend to ask U.S. District Justice Eduardo Robreno to throw out the convictions.

Palmer Denny, the jury foreman, said he would "definitely" be opposed to that. Denny said the jury "really weeded through" the evidence to deliver fair verdicts for the four defendants.

"For sure, there were some shady things going on," Denny said. "I'm all for success in business but not at the expense of the citizens of Philadelphia. It seems like that was taking up a lot of time in City Hall."

Prosecutors said Wright received a rent-free apartment near Rittenhouse Square and free legal services in return for help on real estate, zoning and tax issues.

Wright, a part-time real-estate agent, also sought commissions from the Chawla brothers on property deals.

The jury convicted the three men on mail fraud charges related to the free apartment and Teitelman's legal efforts for Wright when a new owner of the building tried to evict him. Chawla was convicted of wire fraud for sending Wright an e-mail offering to hire him as a consultant for a real-estate development while Wright was using his City Hall post to gather information about it.

The investigation started in 2007 when Joe Mammana, a self-styled crime fighter, made claims about Kelly to federal investigators while facing gun and tax charges. Kelly was not accused of any wrongdoing in the case.

Wright's estranged wife also circulated an e-mail, obtained by the FBI, accusing him of taking bribes from the Chawlas.

Kelly, the trial's star witness, testified that he secretly recorded for the FBI conversations in June 2007 with Wright and Ravinder Chawla because he wanted to "get to the bottom" of any possible corruption in his office.

Kelly was a compliant witness for the defense, repeatedly agreeing that Wright had done nothing wrong in helping Teitelman and the Chawla brothers. That notion quickly fell apart when prosecutors listed for Kelly the benefits Wright received from his political allies. Kelly called those benefits "inappropriate" as conflicts of interest and ethics violations.

Wright told the jury his friends provided help for him as he relapsed into alcoholism as his marriage disintegrated.

Kelly, in a statement yesterday, said Wright received a fair trial and the "jury found he had violated the public trust, and he must now face the consequences."

Wright has been on unpaid leave from his $97,179-a-year job since his indictment in August. Kelly yesterday sent a memo to City Council President Anna Verna, asking her to end Wright's employment "effective immediately." Kelly cited Wright's conviction as the reason in the memo.

Wright, Teitelman and Chawla will be sentenced in May. They face about five years in prison. *