Duke Briber Hasn't Made Bail, Judge Says

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April 21, 2008 1:42 PM

A man appealing his conviction for bribing former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham is reportedly struggling to make his bail, set at $1.4 million.

A federal public defender has been representing Brent Wilkes, who has claimed he was too poor to afford to hire counsel.  Wilkes reaped millions from fraudulent defense and intelligence contracts thanks to Cunningham's interventions, making it difficult for many observers to believe his claims of poverty.

But Wilkes' frustrated efforts to make bail may bolster his argument.  Friday, a federal judge reportedly said that Wilkes had managed to rustle up roughly $400,000 in relatives' retirement accounts to secure his freedom. 

A federal appeals court granted Wilkes the possibility of freedom in a ruling last month.

Judge Larry Alan Burns reportedly declined to accept those funds as collateral, noting that the government may not legally be able to take those funds if Wilkes skipped bail.

In February, Wilkes began serving his 12-year term in federal prison for his involvement in the Cunningham scandal, the largest bribery scandal in the history of Congress. According to federal prosecutors, Wilkes treated Cunningham to lavish meals and Hawaiian vacations, and procured prostitutes for himself and the former lawmaker, in exchange for federal business.