The Missing $23 Million

To qualify for a $60 million loan to buy SunCruz Casinos, lobbyist Jack Abramoff signed a document (1) certifying that he and his partner, Adam Kidan, put $23 million in cash into the deal. Asked to prove the money was deposited, Kidan and another partner, Ben Waldman, faxed the lender, Foothill Capital, what appeared to be a confirmation (2) of a wire transfer of the money from Kidan's account at Chevy Chase Bank to the seller's bank. But Chevy Chase later said (3) in answer to a subpoena that Kidan's account had already been closed at the time of the purported wire transfer. Foothill now contends that the faxed document was a forgery.