Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams Charged With Bribery and Extortion

Federal authorities have charged Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams with accepting more than $100,000 in gifts, travel and cash, often in exchange for official favors, according to a bribery and extortion indictment that was made public on Tuesday.

Williams faces charges on 23 counts, including bribery, extortion and wire fraud, following a nearly two-year investigation into his financial matters. The top attorney, who was reelected into his second term in 2013, received an annual salary of about $170,000, according to court documents. Williams has said he encountered financial issues following a divorce and while paying for private school for his daughters, the Associated Press reported.

Among the gifts described in the indictment are a trip to a resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic with his then-girlfriend, a 1997 Jaguar XK8 convertible, a custom sofa worth more than $3,000, $2,000 in cash and $7,000 in a check. Williams is also accused of spending $20,000 in money set aside for a relative’s care in a nursing home.

A spokesman for Williams told the AP he is expected to surrender and be arraigned on Wednesday. His defense attorney Michael Diamondstein said they would defend the charges.