Kalistan

[Doc]

Chancellor arrested on corruption charges
Offenses are personal in nature, not related to Office
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
November 2, 5723


Chancellor Alvarez-McLinn in custody of KPD Police in Downtown Kaliburg

The Lady Mayor of Kaliburg-Port Davon, Baroness Whitney Andrews-Wiley, has referred formal charges against the Chancellor of the Empire to Her Imperial Majesty's Ministry of Justice this week. The Chancellor, who was indicted in the Free City over the weekend on charges of personal corruption and was taken into custody, has not issued a statement. The Justice Minister, the Honorable Bonnie Conway, said the Ministry will look at the charges to determine whether the case should be tried at the Free City level or at the National Level. The Chancellor is expected to be arraigned early next week.

The charges stem from a late September incident involving the Chancellor, four women and six men that took place at her Kaliburg apartment. One of the women there was a paid informant for the Free City and one of the men was an undercover police officer who was acting as part of a long standing investigation concerning the Chancellor's private activities. The charges allege that the Chancellor, while conducting a party, was also acting as a Madame out of her apartment, and had solicited prostitution with multiple individuals in attendance at her party. The charges allege that the Chancellor has engaged in prostitution multiple times, dating back at least 10 years, for which the Free City has been investigating for at least a year. In all, the City Court indicted her on 22 Counts of Criminal Solicitation stemming from her activates as a Madame.

Prostitution is a legal and regulated occupation in Kalistan, but the Chancellor is charged with running an underground, unregulated prostitution operation, which she herself took usually part in, which falls under the law as criminal exploitation of another human being. If tried by the Empire, it would amount to a Class 2a Crime, with a minimum of two years probation on each count. The Minister of Justice will also need to decide whether the action is likely to occur again, in light of the long history of similar activity alleged in the charges, and if so, the Chancellor's charges would be increased to a Class 3a, high potential to repeat Charge and if found guilty, she would become an inmate on King's Rock. If the charges are referred back to the City, prison would be out of the question, but the City may levy significant monetary fines for restitution and as punishment for the behavior.

The Chancellor currently awaits her fate in the Kaliburg City Jail. Meanwhile, it is important to note that nowhere is it alleged that this alleged behavior had anything to do with her official duties. The Charges make this explicit--these activities were carried out on the Chancellor's personal time, in her personal home. But what is unclear is whether any acting members of the Institutional Party were also involved in the activities.

Rumors have circulated for years about the Chancellor's personal life, but out of respect for her office and title, those rumors were never fully aired in the press. It is not clear whether Her Imperial Majesty had herself heard any of these rumors, or to what extent she knew that her Chancellor was involved in any sort of illicit activity, though it can be gleaned from statements that it was a not well kept secret that the Chancellor lived an alternative lifestyle. Before last year, no criminal complaints had ever been filed against the Chancellor by any of her personal associates.

The trial is expected to be quick: Most cases do not go to court unless the State has overwhelming corroborating evidence of the guilt of the defendant. If this case goes to trial, it will be to give the Chancellor the opportunity to explain any extenuating or exonerating evidence for the Court to consider in its verdict and sentencing. She will see a judge however within the next couple days to enter a plea to the Court for its consideration, and that plea will be entered with the Ministry of Justice as it considers whether to formally try to Chancellor.

At time of Press, the Chancellor of the Empire has not yet resigned from office, and the Empress, who according to House Ananto, remains in deep grief following the loss of her aunt, has not demanded resignation yet.

@TheRepublic