European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 29, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes saturday april 29, 1978 Fri investigating 574 cases of High Public corruption Washington Psi Fri director William h Webster disclosed Friday that the Bureau was investigating 574 Public corruption cases some involving present and past senators congressmen Gover nors and other Public officials. Wetter declined to identify any of the subjects of the criminal investigations in a breakfast meeting with reporters bin acknowledged that at least one sitting Sena Tor was among those being investigated. Sources familiar with the investigations said the list also included reps. Dame j. Flood and Joshua Eilberg. Pennsylvania democrats Long known to be under Fri scrutiny other sitting congressmen an current governors. Webster who has been in office Only two months said the investigations were pan of the Bureau s stepped up drive against corrupt Public officials and organize crime. Attorney general Griffin b. Bell has said repeatedly that the Fri was devoting More resources to Public corruption. White Collar crime and organized crime in Vosti Gallons. K Webster said that in his Short time in wih sign documents office he has become concerned with the emphasis Given in the press to past questionable activities by the Fri illegal break ins wiretaps and other abuses maybe it was our fault for pleading immortality in the  he said. The illegalities and questionable practices Are for me. Ancient history the Fri director said. He added that there had been no breaches of internal guide lines prohibiting warrant less surveillance in Domestic Security cases since he assumed office. Webster said he wanted to emphasize the Bureau s current activities which in clude a Strong Effort to Weed out corrupt Public officials in that regard he said the Fri is now investigating 574 cases of Public corruption including senators and former senators mayors and police chief across the  despite his reference to senators being under investigation. Webster would acknowledge Only that he was. Referring to at least one senator whom he declined to identify. He also added that current and former congressmen were subjects of feb scrutiny Carter schedules visit to Panama june 16-17washington api _ president Carter will visit Panama on june 16 and 17 to sign the documents beginning the trans far of the Panama canal to the Central american nation the White House said. Deputy White House press Secretary Rex Granum said the president has a Sitt official Lenies lying in Chile probe Washington a i an official of the International Telephone & Telegraph cop. Pleaded innocent Friday to charges he bed to a Senate subcommittee that was investigating itts role in Cia activities to influence elections in Chile in the early1370s. Edward j. Merrily or. M. Of Larch Mont. . Senior vice president of itt has been charged by the Justice depart ment in a criminal information with three counts of perjury and three other felony counts. A co defendant. Robert Berrellez. 58. Of Chatsworth. Calif. Itts Public relations director in the Southwest pleaded inno cent to the same charges on March 29. Each Man faces up to five years in prison on each count if convicted. The two Are accused of lying to a Senate foreign relations subcommittee that was investigating . Efforts to disrupt the election of Salvador Allende. A marxist As Chile s president in 1970. Getty testified on March 22. 173. To the Senate subcommittee that a proposed to million itt offer to the Cia in 1970 was to promote agriculture and housing in chilean not to Block Allende s election it was later disclosed that itt had Given at least $350.000 to support Allende s opponents Cepter an invitation by panamanian Leader Omar Torrijos to make the the two Day trip. Granum. Announcing the visit during a press briefing said its principal purpose is to sign the protocol confirming the Exchange of the documents ratifying the Panama canal  the Senate ratified the second of the two pacts More than a week ago. Granum said that unless Congress acts to Speed up the effective Date of the treaty the effective Date of this Exchange will be March 31. W79." details of the visit remain to be worked out. Granum said. The mid june dates push Back approximately one month a trip that had been re Mored to be planned for May 12. Granum. Explaining the delay said it s fell More time was needed for plan Ning a very important  he said no final decisions had been made on whether any Heads of state other than Carter and torn Jos. Would attend the ceremony l under the treaties. Panama will gain full control of the american built canal by the year 2000 and will guarantee its neutrality after protracted debate the Senate ratified both pacts by votes of 6s-32. One More than the two thirds majority needed robber of Century gets 9-year sentence Lens Bra cd. Austria a France Maple. Britain s robber of the Century was sentenced to a nine car prison Tern when a jurors court found the 39-\eardguil a of robbery his attorney appealed he v Werirt Maple was charged with hav no robbed with the help of an  c20.000 Worth of valuables from the Safe of the be  Tixel a k Buhe picks of the crop country singers Kenny Rogers and Crystal Gayle have got it together at us country music awards id los a Geles. In this Case if was an award apiece As Best male Aid female a of the year. Rogers Alt walked it vat three More citation Best record Best song am Best Itom. Passman is indicted on tax evasion counts Washington api former rep Otto e Passman was indicted by a Federal grand jury Friday on charges of failing to report ih3.000 income in 1972 and 1973 arising from the korean payoff scandal. The Louisiana Democrat who was indicted on March 31 on charges he took 1213.000 in bribes from South korean Nee dealer ton Sun Park was accused in Friday s indictment of evading More than$77.000 in income taxes. Passman. 77. Is in a Hospital in Louisiana and his lawyers contend he is too ill to stand trial. The ruling on that question is pending in the courts Friday s indictment charges that Passman concealed income by dealing in currency and by lying to Justice department officials about his income. The first count charged that Passman and his wife filed a joint return for 19? reporting a to due of $15.650 on a taxable income of j47.179 when the actual tax due was 38 908 on an income of 192.179 the second count alleged tha Passman s joint return Lor ij73 reported a tax of j 20.069 on income of s56.013 when the the earlier bribery indictment charged that in return for $213.000 in bribes few Park. Passman used Bis influence to to i a. Food for Peare program Kyj Jef allocated to Korea specifically Tor Purchase of Rice. The indictment said received about 18 million in no commissions As part of the Alec pm conspiracy from 1973 through 1jjs. Passman has previously deck illegal or improper conduct in the Kab influence buying Case. He was the second former con grew to be accused of a crime in connect a the scandal. Former rep. Via � Hanna. A Calif. Pleaded conspiring with South korean Park to defraud the v s go was sentenced to from six top Ion the income tax indictment  years in prison and a Llo Jot i be each of the two counts of tax est bribery statute under Wahidi indicted carries a maximum sentence Lor com in tin Park has been named As an co conspirator in the Passman Case and h is own Civ per ung with authorities