Rep. John Rogers bond revoked in federal kickback scheme

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - A judge revoked Representative John Rogers’ bond Monday in a federal kickback scheme. U.S. Marshals took Rogers into custody in the courtroom.

The government alleged Rogers violated his bond conditions by contacting a witness in the case; specifically, the person he’s charged with reportedly bribing in a kickback scheme involving Jefferson County tax dollars. The defense denies Rogers knowingly contacted the witness and requested a copy of the transcript from the arraignment when the judge advised him of his bond conditions in early October. The judge agreed to give the defense more time to prepare for a bond hearing, resetting it for Thursday. The judge ultimately ordered the U.S. Marshals to take Rogers into custody, stating she listened to the audio from the arraignment and noted Rogers verbally agreed that he understood what he could and could not do while on bond.

After the hearing, Carlos Chaverst spoke on behalf of Rogers, stating he was attempting to call his accountant and mistakenly called the witness, who have the same last name.

John Robbins, Rogers’ defense attorney, didn’t elaborate about the reported calls to the accountant, explaining it was something they still had to confirm.

“We’re going to remain confident, there’s a reasonable and logical explanation for this and to take him into custody is unfair,” Robbins responded. “We’re not conceding he even made the call, my client did not knowingly or intentionally contact Individual #1.”

Rogers is indicted on federal obstruction of justice and obstruction of justice by bribery counts. Court records allege Rogers attempted to bribe an unnamed person, who’s listed as Individual #1 in the indictment, to give false information to FBI and IRS agents in exchange for money for their organization. It’s something Rogers strongly denies.

Background on this case:

Rogers is charged with government obstruction alongside co-defendant Varrie Johnson Kindall in a superseding indictment. Kindall faces 25 counts ranging from mail and wire fraud to obstruction of justice and money laundering.

This indictment stems from the same investigation that led former Representative Fred Plump Jr. to resign from the Alabama House of Representatives earlier this year. In June 2023, Plump pleaded guilty to an information charge of conspiracy.

Court records allege the three defendants were involved in a kickback scheme using tax dollars from the Jefferson County Community Service Fund, created to support local organizations.

As a member of the Alabama House of Representatives, Rogers could direct those funds to organizations of his choice. Court records show Rogers was allocated $500,000 from 2018 through 2022. The indictment cites Rogers directed nearly $400,000 of those funds to Piper Davis, Plump’s youth baseball organization. In turn, Plump gave almost $200,000 to Kindall, which she deposited in personal accounts.

“It was part of the conspiracy that John Rogers, with defendant Varrie Johnson Kindall’s assistance, would and did recommend that most of defendant John Rogers’ allotment of Fund money be paid to Piper Davis each fiscal year. Further, defendant Varrie Johson Kindall would and did require that Fred Lee Plump, Jr. pay kickbacks to her from Fund money directed to Piper Davis by defendant John Rogers,” the superseding indictment states.

According to court records, when Rogers and Kindall learned about the federal investigation into the fraud scheme, they attempted to obstruct justice by offering an unnamed person grant money for their organization in exchange for giving false information to federal agents.

Both were recently granted an extension to prepare for trial, which was previously set for this fall.

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