Russell Foundation Leader To Plead Guilty

U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett announced today that Michael Russell, the founder of the Russell Foundation who is accused of bilking $1.7 million out of an Indianapolis physician, has agreed to plead guilty to 8 counts of wire fraud and 12 counts of money laundering. Russell admits that he and his co-conspirators, former Indianapolis City-County Councilor Paul Bateman and Manuel Gonzalez used the money for entertainment, clothes, jewelry, travel, vehicles, rent and more instead of the charitable purposes for which they claimed the money was being sought. Bateman and Gonzalez are scheduled to go on trial next month. You can read more on the original indictments in the case here and here.