Federal authorities turned up a hoard of luxuries including jewelry, cash, designer bags and shoes during raids at the Maryland properties of Harriette Walters’ niece and brother, court documents released this week show.
The FBI evidence logs from the raids draw a clearer picture of how the Bowie, Md., relatives of Walters, a former tax office employee and alleged mastermind of the largest corruption scandal in the District, may have benefited from the scam.
Walters, her niece Jayrece Turnbull, and Richard Walters, her brother, were all arrested Nov. 7, when the raids also took place. Two others —tax office employee Diane Gustus and Connie Alexander, Turnbull’s friend — were also charged in the fraud.
Authorities say they believe Walters and her accomplices stole tens of millions of dollars from the Office of Tax and Revenue through bogus property tax refunds.
At Turnbull’s Bermondsey Drive residence in Bowie, the FBI found more than 100 bags by Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Chanel, and 76 pairs of shoes by designers such as Ferragamo, Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo.
Rolex watches, gold necklaces and bracelets, as well as dozens of other expensive accessories were seized, the records show. Among the pricy goods recovered at Turnbull’s home was a 70-piece Versace china set.
The FBI found more than $16,000 in cash, jewelry, a safe and a .45-caliber handgun at a Bowie residence on Spark Lane, which is listed as the address of a sham company allegedly set up by Richard Walters.
Attorneys for Richard Walters and Jayrece Turnbull did not return calls for comment.
Agents also searched the Clinton, Md., home of Diane Gustus, which turned up several designer bags, shoes, and lottery tickets, according to the court records.
Authorities had already unveiled the results of the raid on Harriette Walters’ home, also on Nov. 7., which yielded a more extravagant collection of loot, including dozens of pairs of shoes, purses, pieces of jewelry and other luxury items.
