◆ SpookStack

jniloducé -titem-to7mientbersaT Congress: who awoild help thelx “Arab” client for cash. Sources said Criden was questioned -by FBI a agents yesterday, and™ began. fo cooperate, . openthg the goog to confronting the, four - House members with whom he dealt. i In each: case, Criden.dr the member Js al- leged ia have accepted about, $50,000 in cash: in return-for promises the help thé “Arab oil shiek” with any problems he might have en: tering the United States or settling here. Jenrette of South Carolina also reportedly was recorded as talking about, accepting. $50,000 for an immigration bill, and the money’ was later pickéd up: by 3h assdclate, sources said. i . ‘ . 4 Sen. William$ was implicated wher he agreed to help in obtaining military contracts , See ‘PROBE;, 42, Col, 2 PROBE, From Al 4. ise aotitanfiumy miuie: for whighbe: received,” stock, the sources said , , nl " Sources cattloned that indictments might* | +hot sesult, from: all thie cases. f that hé was ques: ' ‘ Thompson said-last night tha | ‘Yoned-by the FBI yes erday, atid acknowledg- led months\ago" talking to: tvo men: in waskt | in whi ~pnresented ah investor‘ ‘noton who sald they represente vestor’ vith aJarge amount of money. Criden-made ‘the ihtroductioris, he said « thompson emphatically denied ever talline dhoney for help with legislation. He said he ld snziost the names of some New Jer y vhanks in his district as posst le ¥ invest The money: ; ; i yilliams, in a statement issued by of office, aid, “nobody from the Devt this os Tastee bas talked to me-at a iS < talked to me. Honestly. fact, nat one soul has ta ie : ¥ . - comment on WS. Pern say | don't have any | pe Sor ongress un ‘The other members of Cone under investi zation could not be reached for com ye Focal point of the investiga we 3 vest, Washing vae house In northwest \ the undercover agents entertained some of vir congressional goss, ; . . whe ne Ty last night showed film it torr of the house where the FBI filmed me bers. yeporter Brian Ross neted that the Ts tg in i“ were unusual y peagp a ¢ in the Hoe sere FBI videotaping equipment. More than 10 FBT 2 ers 0 sor cas in tryin reach the membe youre? any in Arye *0. tha euce hecanse wor sents were invalved f a said. . ” Sources Yave: this account, of ‘the case: the { investigation bégan in the summer of 178 When, FBI agents.set up a “sting” operatipn “fn the hope ‘of luring organized crime mem- bers to Sell stolen government securities and. other valuables, starting on Long Island. | That investigation; too, has been. highly siiccesstul, though it has not bees. publicized yet. by le’ represented “Arab businessmen” with mil- Hons of daiftys to “invest.” The FBI calls the | operation AABSCAM—for Arab scam. ; By lasffall, associates of some of the mem- rid = hers of. Congress madé contact with -the: “sting” operation and allegedly began ar- Fanging meetings, in Washington and New “York; between the undercover agents and the federal officials. 5 ~ Bo hr one’ videotapéd’ transaction, a membe ot’ ongress ‘arid: hig companion are show] fighting over a briefcase full of cash as the * Iheave the room, P 5 A” On another océasion, another meniber of iKongress “fiatly- refused to take part indthe iscussion; whén it. turned to money-fors legislation’ and stalked out; of the. room. One sotiree who has viewed somé of the tapes sald hé was “sickened” by the sight of members: of Congress nodding in agreement: and saying “no problem” when the under-’ cover agents mentioned giving them, money for legislative favors: * ‘ In a copyrighted story by its Washington bureau chief, Anthony Marro, Newsday re- “ported that, iil orfe. transaction caught on videotape, a member of Congress is seen | stuffing gréenbacks into his frouser and, jacket pockets. | To ‘establish their “covers” as represent: atives of “rich Arabs,” the’ FBI undercover agents were provided with a large yacht, a | condominium at an ocean resort, the house ¢ here, and private planes in, addition to the.s hundreds: of thousands of dollars in cash, | Newsday said. am | "The investigation is.being coordinagerTtom New York by Thomas Puccio, head of the { The’ undercover agents solicited business | tling the-underworld sources khow they . peration Snare? | | mee oe neta at. .