BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – Opening statements began in the trial of a real estate developer accused of providing six-figure bribes to former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, who pleaded guilty last week to a slate of felony charges connected to his support for the defendant’s projects. John Elroy Wessman, 86, is charged with nine counts
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BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – A jury is set in the high-profile public corruption case against developer John Wessman, who’s accused of bribing former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet in exchange for favorable treatment on city projects. Opening statements are set to start Monday at 9 a.m. at the Banning Justice Center. Wessman, 86, has pleaded
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Reactions pouring in after former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet pleaded guilty in a bribery case stemming from an alleged scheme to buy off the mayor to ensure his support for a real estate developer’s projects. Palm Springs residents finding out just before Wednesday’s city council meeting. Some said the
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BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – Former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet pleaded guilty in a bribery case stemming from an alleged scheme to buy off the mayor to ensure his support for a real estate developer’s projects. Hear from former Palm Springs Mayors Robert Moon and Geoff Kors, who dealt with the fallout of the bribery
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BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – Pretrial motions got underway today ahead of jury selection for the trial of one-time Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet and a real estate developer, stemming from an alleged scheme to buy off the mayor to ensure his support for the businessman’s projects. Pougnet, 62, and John Elroy Wessman, 86, were criminally
Continue Reading Update – 5/1/25 After numerous years of delays, the bribery case involving former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet and developer John Wessman will go to trial. Jury selection is set to get underway on May 6 at the Banning Justice Center. News Channel 3’s Garrett Hottle spoke with Pougnet. We’ll have the latest on the
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New developments in a bribery case involving former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet that dates back more than a decade. Court records show that all but one charge against developer Richard Meaney were dropped at a hearing on March 24. Meaney was facing 11 charges tied to the Palm Springs corruption case. Check Out Our ‘Scandal at City Hall’
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A pretrial hearing for a real estate developer accused in a Palm Springs City Hall bribery scheme was postponed today at the request of the prosecution and defense. John Elroy Wessman, 83, is charged with nine counts of bribery of a public official and one count of conspiracy in connection with the alleged offenses,
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The California 4th District Court of Appeals has reversed a judge’s decision to drop the charges against one of the developers indicted in the bribery case of an ex-Palm Springs mayor. On Dec. 4, a judge dismissed charges against real estate developer John Wessman. Wessman was originally indicted on nine counts of bribery of an
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Richard Meaney, a co-defendant in a bribery case involving former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, will again have access to his passport for international travel. A judge sided with Meaney’s attorney who argued that delays have caused hardships on the co-defendant. Meaney’s attorney told the court his client is in a ‘dire’ situation and facing
Continue Reading A judge has dismissed charges against John Wessman, one of the developers accused in the bribery case involving former Palm Springs mayor Steve Pougnet. BREAKING: Judge has dismissed charges against John Wessman, one of the developers accused in the bribery case involving former #PalmSprings mayor Steve Pougnet. Denies motion to dismiss charges for Pougnet and
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A court hearing was pushed back today for ex-Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet and two Coachella Valley developers accused of buying his vote, at which attorneys for the defendants had been expected to argue for dismissal of the felony charges against their clients. Pougnet, 57, and developers Richard Hugh Meaney, 54, and John Elroy Wessman,
Continue Reading A judge has unsealed the grand jury transcripts in the corruption case against former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet and developers John Wessman and Richard Meaney. The grand jury transcript has three volumes and more than 700 pages. Our team is going through the documents, uncovering new facts on the Scandal at City Hall, a
Continue Reading A judge overseeing the corruption case against former Mayor Steve Pougnet, Developers John Wessman and Richard Meaney ruled Friday to unseal the grand jury transcripts, citing a lack of reasonable probability that the release would cause prejudice to the defendants. The judge agreed to set the unsealing date for March 4, per the defense’s request,
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A decision on whether the grand jury report will be released in the case of a former Palm Springs mayor and two developers will be postponed until January 17. At the Larson Justice Center in Indio on Friday, Judge Harold Hopp expressed that more time was needed to determine if there is any evidence that
Continue ReadingTomorrow, the attorneys for former Mayor Steve Pougnet and developers John Wessman and Richard Meaney will be back in court, this time asking a judge to keep the Grand Jury Report sealed. The trio were indicted back in August The case saw multiple delays until finally, on August 16, 2019, the trio was indicted by
Continue Reading UPDATE: Former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet and developers Richard Meaney and John Wessman were arraigned Thursday morning on the new grand jury indictment; all pled not guilty. The judge carried over the previously posted bonds and bail. A trial readiness conference and motion date was set for October 18. ————————————— ORIGINAL STORY: Former Palm
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