County supervisor accused of hiding land, business deals
Phoenix Business Journal - by Mike Sunnucks
Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley has been indicted on 118 counts, including charges of forgery, filing false financial disclosure forms and perjury.
Stapley, an East Valley Republican, denies wrongdoing.
Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas announced the indictment late Tuesday and said Stapley hid, failed or inaccurately disclosed land holdings, real estate and business assets and businesses he is involved on disclosure firms required of county elected officials. Some of the assets in question include real estate in Pinal County, Thomas said.
The county prosecutor also noted that Stapley was sanctioned by the Arizona Department of Real Estate in 2000 for failing to list a business bankruptcy on a broker’s license application form.
Stapley is the owner of Stapley & Co., a real estate management firm.
Stapley issued a statement to media outlets pronouncing his innocence.
“I stand falsely accused of failure to disclose financial information. I have disclosed all the information and income required by law during my time in office. I am shocked and disappointed that such accusations are being made. I cannot fathom where these accusations came from or what motivated them, but if my integrity is being questioned, I assure you that I stand on my record of complete integrity and disclosure and will fight these allegations. This matter should be quickly dismissed,” Stapley said.
Thomas and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio also said they are investigating other county employees to see if they had any involvement in the Stapley matter.
Stapley is in his fourth term on the county board and serves as its chairman. Arpaio and Thomas, who also are Republicans, have been investigating a handful of public corruption cases.
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