In N.Y., Richard Sandomir wrote as MLB investigates Jim Crane’s $680M deal to buy the Astros, “it will be easy for its officials to find the public information about federal crimes committed by two executives of his former company,” Houston based Eagle Global Logistics. One employee “pleaded guilty to adding more than $1 million in fraudulent surcharges to shipments,” while a second pleaded guilty to “paying kickbacks to receive future business from KBR, a major contractor that was once a subsidiary of Halliburton.” Eagle in total “has paid more than $10 million to settle various federal charges,” though none of the alleged violations mention “any complicity by Crane.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Lockhart said, “I interviewed Crane. We were never able to track anything back to him. It was the two lower-level guys. We did not have any evidence that Crane was involved at all. I just don’t think he knew this stuff was going on.” Sandomir noted how much weight MLB “will give the Eagle incidents as it assesses Crane’s offer for the Astros is not known” (N.Y. TIMES, 6/18).
CHANGE OF VENUE: On Long Island, Anthony DeStefano reported Irving Picard, the trustee in the Bernie Madoff case who is suing the Wilpon family, accused the Mets owners Friday of “wasting his time and judicial resources by trying to shift the $1 billion case from bankruptcy court to a federal district judge.” Picard in district court filings said that the Wilpons and their Sterling Equities partners “are trying to do an end run around the bankruptcy court because they aren’t happy with the way the case is going.” He said that the move to get the case transferred to Manhattan federal court is a “transparent attempt at forum shopping” and added that the request “has no merit” (NEWSDAY, 6/18).
ABOVE THE INFLUENCE? In Boston, Kevin Paul Dupont noted multiple reports claimed that Canucks Owner Francesco Aquilini “berated a number of media members after” Game Seven of the NHL Stanley Cup Final. Aquilini used “vile language to, shall we say, suggest how and where they conduct their amorous activities.” Dupont: “It was an intense, passionate series, and everyone deserves a break here and there when the heat gets high. But, really, a club owner is supposed to be above the fray” (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/19).
