Tierney's Brother-in-Law Convicted

Congressman John Tierney's brother-in-law Daniel Eremian was convicted of racketeering relating to his brother Robert Eremian's illegal offshore gambling operation Monday.

Tierney's wife Patrice served a month in jail to helping her brother Robert manage a bank account into which funds from the gambling operation, based in Antigua, were being funneled, as well as helping him file false tax returns. She has maintained that she did not know the details of the gambling operation and managed the bank account to take care of Robert Eremian's children.

Robert Eremian allegedly operated a lucrative illegal online gambling business for nearly 20 years. Police raided his home in Lynnfield in 1996, which cast bad publicity on his sister, who was about to marry then-candidate John Tierney.

Prosecutors say Eremian later moved his business operations to Antigua but opened a bank account in Massachusetts with which to provide money to his children and mother. Patrice Tierney managed that account for several years, during which the account allegedly garnered more than $7 million from Eremian's illegal business, and prosecutors say she helped file false tax returns on that money.

Robert Eremian is currently a fugitive. Sentencing for Daniel Eremian will be at a later date. Congressman Tierney has never been implicated of any wrongdoing in the case.