Two Ex-Alaska Republican legislators indicted for bribery, extortion

May 4, 2007

Anchorage, Alaska - Two former Alaska state Republican legislators, Bruce Weyhrauch and Pete Kott, were arrested Friday and accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from VECO Corp., a private oil services company, extortion, wire fraud and mail fraud.

Two former Alaska state Republican legislators, Bruce Weyhrauch and Pete Kott, were arrested Friday and accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from VECO Corp., a private oil services company, extortion, wire fraud and mail fraud.

A federal grand jury has indicted the two for allegedly taking bribes from oil companies trying to win the state's natural gas pipeline.

Indictment (Kott & Weyhrauch)

Kott of Eagle River and former state Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch of Juneau, were among six legislators whose offices were raided and searched by the FBI last August.

Former Senate President Ben Stevens, the son of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, is expected to be indicted shortly.

Count one is - Conspiracy to Commit Extortion under Color of Official Right, Bribery, and Honest Services Mail and Wire Fraud.

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