Seth Williams Pleads Guilty, Resigns as Philly DA
Seth Williams at a February 10, 2017, press conference. Photo by Matt Rourke/AP
This is a developing story.
Nearly two weeks into his federal trial on corruption charges, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams pleaded guilty on Thursday morning and said he would resign his office effective immediately.
Williams pleaded guilty to one count related to accepting a bribe from a Bucks County businessman named Mohammed N. Ali. As part of the plea deal, 28 other counts against him have been dismissed.
Over the past two weeks, trial testimony dwelled on troubling information about Williams’s finances, including accusations from federal prosecutors that he made a habit out of using his position to bribe contacts into funding luxuries he couldn’t afford, like all-inclusive vacations to Punta Cana, a $3,000 custom sofa and a Jaguar convertible — all of which came from Ali.
Williams was also charged with stealing from his own mother, spending campaign funds on personal expenses (like spa treatments and pricey dinners) and driving government vehicles on his own time.
According to Philly.com, Williams has also agreed to forfeit $64,878. He will return to court on October 24th for sentencing, and faces up to five years in prison.
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