WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s office has released audio clips of former Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson telling his wife, former county councilmember Leslie Johnson, to flush a check down their home toilet and stuff money in her underwear in an attempt to avoid FBI officers.
Leslie Johnson pleaded guilty in June to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit witness and evidence tampering related to the federal corruption investigation of her husband.
Federal prosecutors say Johnson tried to stuff $79,000 into her underwear as federal agents sought to enter her home in November. She also was recorded talking to her husband, who was heard directing her to hide the cash and flush a $100,000 check down the toilet.
Jack Johnson can be clearly heard instructing his wife to do both on the newly released tapes.
The former county executive pleaded guilty in May to shaking down developers for hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and other favors in exchange for doing business with the county.
Leslie Johnson stepped down from her council seat after pleading to the charges. She is set to be sentenced Dec. 9.
Johnson’s seat was filled in last week’s election by Derrick Leon Davis.
(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All rights reserved.)
