Charges for Abramoff Associate

ABC News’ Jason Ryan Reports:  The Justice Department has charged filed conspiracy charges against an associate of convicted ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Mark Zachares had worked in the office of the attorney general for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) from 1994-1998 and later served as the Islands’ secretary of labor and immigration from 1998-2002.

After 2002 Zachares worked as a staffer on Capitol Hill work on various House committees where Abramoff had business interests. Abramoff and Zachares got to know each other when Abramoff was representing the CNMI and fighting to have regulators impose minimum wage standards on the Islands’ textile plants. According to the document filed Monday, "Zachares would and did take a stream of things of value from Abramoff and his lobbyists including the prospect of further employment as a lobbyist by Abramoff… Salary enhancements… an overseas trip… meals, drinks, golf and tickets to professional sport events," in what Abramoff and Zachares came to call their "Two year plan."

In November 2002, Zachares allegedly tried to help Abramoff, "adjust his business development strategies to build a homeland security lobbying practice that would eventually benefit Zachares when he ultimately joined Abramoff’s firm as a lobbyist," the filing stated.  The charge also claims Zachares sought to have Abramoff secure a position for him at the Department of Homeland Security. According to a November 26, 2002 email he wrote to Abramoff he "really could make things happen if [he] got over to [Homeland Security.]"

In July and November of 2002 Zachares provided information to Abramoff about threat assessments about Guam and the Marianas Island and also helped provide information about Congressional actions about DHS.

On two occasions in 2002, Zachares received $5,000 wire transfers from Abramoff’s non-profit corporation the Capital Athletic Foundation and also attended one of Abramoff’s infamous Scotland golf outings in August of 2003. This was not the same trip attended by convicted ex-Congressman Bob Ney, who made a journey to St. Andrews in 2002, but was believed to be attended by Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla., and five other individuals according to the information which was filed. 

Zachares is expected to plead guilty tomorrow at a 3:00pm hearing at the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.