Louisiana's former film commissioner Mark Smith faces up to 15 years in prison and a $350,000 fine for taking bribes to entice film production into the state.
Smith pleaded guilty on Friday to accepting approximately $60,000 in bribes while he led the state's film development efforts, a role he carried out from 2002-2006.
According to papers filed with the court, the former attorney approved inflated production budgets that resulted in the state issuing inflated tax credits to an unnamed company.
Neither the company nor the source of the bribes were named. However in a separate but related filing, Hollywood South Productions is suing Smith, the Louisiana Department Of Economic Development, and Malcolm Petal, co-founder of the Louisiana Institute of Film Technology (LIFT).
That suit alleges Smith accepted payments to divert business to Hollywood South Productions' rival company LIFT, whose offices were raided by the FBI on Jun 1.
Papers filed in relation to the LIFT suit said Smith would tell film-makers who were considering an in-state production that 'it was 'impossible' to shoot in Louisiana without LIFT,' effectively creating a monopoly for the company.
Petal has declined to comment, while LIFT attorney Steve London denied the company was involved in a tax credit inflation scheme and said LIFT hadn't been told it was under criminal investigation.
Smith will be sentenced on Dec 5 and was berated at his arraignment by US District Judge Kurt Engelhardt for 'personal profiteering while pretending to advance the public interest.'
Days earlier New Orleans City Councilman Oliver Thomas pleaded guilty to taking bribes, heaping further ignominy on a city that has often been besmirched by corruption rumours.
Louisiana has hosted such high profile shoots as the Brad Pitt drama The Curious Tale Of Benjamin Button, which finished filming in April, as well as Ray, The Guardian, and All The King's Men.
Smith pleaded guilty on Friday to accepting approximately $60,000 in bribes while he led the state's film development efforts, a role he carried out from 2002-2006.
According to papers filed with the court, the former attorney approved inflated production budgets that resulted in the state issuing inflated tax credits to an unnamed company.
Neither the company nor the source of the bribes were named. However in a separate but related filing, Hollywood South Productions is suing Smith, the Louisiana Department Of Economic Development, and Malcolm Petal, co-founder of the Louisiana Institute of Film Technology (LIFT).
That suit alleges Smith accepted payments to divert business to Hollywood South Productions' rival company LIFT, whose offices were raided by the FBI on Jun 1.
Papers filed in relation to the LIFT suit said Smith would tell film-makers who were considering an in-state production that 'it was 'impossible' to shoot in Louisiana without LIFT,' effectively creating a monopoly for the company.
Petal has declined to comment, while LIFT attorney Steve London denied the company was involved in a tax credit inflation scheme and said LIFT hadn't been told it was under criminal investigation.
Smith will be sentenced on Dec 5 and was berated at his arraignment by US District Judge Kurt Engelhardt for 'personal profiteering while pretending to advance the public interest.'
Days earlier New Orleans City Councilman Oliver Thomas pleaded guilty to taking bribes, heaping further ignominy on a city that has often been besmirched by corruption rumours.
Louisiana has hosted such high profile shoots as the Brad Pitt drama The Curious Tale Of Benjamin Button, which finished filming in April, as well as Ray, The Guardian, and All The King's Men.
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