Rep. John Rogers was indicted Friday on several new charges by a federal grand jury stemming from an investigation last year into what FBI investigators say was a kickback scheme involving state funds.
The new charges, which include money laundering, wire and mail fraud, stem from an investigation into the Jefferson County Community Service Fund, a pool of money that was illegally used for bribes and kickbacks, the grand jury alleged in its indictment.
In 2015, state lawmakers passed a bill that permitted the Jefferson County Commission to levy new taxes for the purpose of benefiting public welfare and education. It was implemented in late 2017. Those funds would then be directed toward organizations at the choosing of a committee composed of state lawmakers from Jefferson County, including Rogers and former State Rep. Fred Plump, who was indicted last year on conspiracy and obstruction charges.
From 2018 to 2022, state representatives in the committee were allocated approximately $100,000 a year to direct to an organization of their choosing.
According to the indictment, Rogers allocated roughly $400,000 between 2018 and 2022 to Piper Davis Youth Baseball League, which is owned by Plump. In return, Rogers, along with his assistant, Varrie Kindall, were given roughly $200,000 as a kickback.
“It was a part of the conspiracy that defendant John Rogers, with defendant Varrie Kindall’s assistance, would and did recommend that most of defendant Rogers’ allotment of fund money be paid to Piper Davis each fiscal year,” the indictment reads.
“Further, defendant Rogers and defendant Kindall would and did require that Fred Plump pay kickbacks to them from fund money directed to Piper Davis by defendant Rogers.”
In the indictment, it’s also alleged that Rogers and Kindall had reached an agreement that were the scheme to be exposed, Kindall would take “full responsibility” for the crimes in exchange for Rogers’ commitment to take care of “personal matters” for Kindall while incarcerated.
Rogers was indicted last year on obstruction charges related to the investigation, which alleged that he had offered assistance to Plump in securing state grants as a bribe to obstruct him from communicating with federal investigators.
The new charges against Rogers include conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, wire and mail fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice and making false statements. The new charges against Kindall, Rogers’ assistant, include mail fraud, money laundering, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, obstruction of justice by bribery, failure to file tax return, and aiding preparation of false tax return.
Plump had already agreed to plead guilty to two criminal charges, pay $200,000 in restitution, and resign from office. On multiple occasions, Rogers has denied any wrongdoing, previously telling Alabama Daily News ““I haven’t seen one red penny.”
Rogers has represented Alabama House District 52 since 1982.