Scottsdale Man Indicted on Bribery, Harassment Charges

(Phoenix, Ariz. – June 26, 2007) Attorney General Terry Goddard today announced the indictment of Gregg Lawrence Wolfe, 45, of Scottsdale, on one count of bribery and four counts of harassment of public employees.

Wolfe was indicted in May with co-defendant Edward Anthony Purvis. A warrant for Wolfe’s arrest was issued after he evaded service of the indictment. Wolfe was served the indictment on Monday by Scottsdale Police and taken into custody.

According to the indictment, Wolfe and Purvis offered former Chandler Police Officer Bradley Todd Forward undisclosed benefits in return for providing confidential files and criminal history information related to an Arizona Corporation Commission investigation into possible law violations in an alleged sale of securities.

Forward was indicted in December 2006 on felony charges of hindering prosecution, computer tampering, stealing or destroying public records and using his position to access criminal history records. Forward resigned his position later that month.

The indictment also alleges that Wolfe and Purvis filed liens against individuals involved in aspects of the Arizona Corporation Commission investigation and court proceedings related to the investigation. Those individuals include Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Paul

J. McMurdie; Maricopa County Superior Court Clerk Michael K. Jeanes; Rachel Frazier Strachan, an attorney employed by the Arizona Corporation Commission; and Mark Dinell, Assistant Director of Securities at the Arizona Corporation Commission. The liens allegedly stated that each of the four public employees owed Purvis $15 million based on a series of mailings from Purvis called “International Commercial Claims.” The indictment alleges that the mailings and liens were intended to harass the public employees.

The indictments are the result of a joint investigation by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the Arizona Corporation Commission. If convicted of all charges, Purvis and Wolfe each face up to 20 years in prison. Assistant Attorney General Kelly O’Connor is prosecuting this case.

A copy of the indictment is attached.

Indictment4.23 MB