Developer Charged in Palm Springs Bribery Scandal Posts Bail

PALM SPRINGS, CA - One of two developers accused of bribing former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet in exchange for his support on land projects throughout the city was free on bail Friday, according to a district attorney's spokesman.

John Wessman, 79, is accused, along with Pougnet, 53, and developer Richard Meaney, 51, in a bribery scheme involving $375,000 allegedly paid to Pougnet during his mayoral tenure in exchange for votes on Palm Springs development projects, several of which remain pending.

Wessman turned himself in Thursday and posted $25,000 bail, with arraignment to follow in mid-March, according to Riverside County District Attorney's Office spokesman John Hall.

Authorities are still awaiting the surrender of Pougnet and Meaney, both of whom have agreed to turn themselves in within the week, according to the D.A.'s office.

Wessman and Meaney would both face a maximum of 12 years behind bars if convicted of 10 counts of bribing an executive officer and conspiracy to commit bribery.

Pougnet would face 19 years in prison if convicted of charges of accepting bribes, conflict of interest, perjury and conspiracy to commit bribery. He would also be barred from holding public office for life.

On the same day that he turned himself in, Wessman formally retired from his position as president of Wessman Development and Wessman Holdings.

Wessman Development Senior Vice President Michael Braun said in a statement that Wessman was no longer involved in the day-to-day operations of any ongoing projects, but that the charges would not halt the completion of any pending downtown projects.

The investigation conducted by the D.A.'s office and FBI revealed that Meaney and Wessman had stakes in high-dollar development projects that required City Council approval, and the then-mayor became their point man for moving them to ratification, prosecutors allege.

Projects specifically listed in court documents include The Dakota, the Desert Fashion Plaza, The Morrison and Vivante.

Payments to Pougnet were allegedly drawn directly from accounts maintained by Meaney's Union Abbey Co. and Wessman Development, according to the complaint.

"Our investigation was pretty exhaustive," Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said Thursday. "There was very strong evidence that Mr. Meaney and Mr. Wessman were buying the mayor's (vote). They had a lot to gain from his actions on the council."

According to the criminal complaint filed Thursday, money began changing hands in September 2012 and continued until the fall of 2014, as Pougnet's term came to a close. In May 2015, he announced he would not seek re-election.

Four months later, investigators began their 17-month investigation with the seizure of thousands of documents, computers, employee cellphones, canceled checks, emails and letters from Palm Springs City Hall and Pougnet's home.

- City News Service / Image via City of Palm Springs Facebook