The federal trial for former Milwaukee Alderman Michael McGee Junior begins Monday. McGee is accused in a shaking down of businesses in his district, ranging from money exchanges for political favors to extortion.
Much of the case is centered on the testimony of Adel "Jack" Kheirieh, an informant and confidant of McGee. Kheireh has owned numerous grocery stores and other business in Milwaukee for decades. He began recording conversations he had with the accused, two years ago.
The FBI got involved in May 2006 and their investigation ceased in May 2007 when they learned of an arranged "beat down" that McGee was allegedly behind. Authorities immediately arrested McGee whose been jailed ever since. His state trial for conspiracy of arranging that battery, as well election fraud, was postponed last month over an evidence dispute. Judge Dennis Moroney delayed the trial after prosecutors failed to turn over wiretapped conversations in Arabic between a federal agent and Kheireh.
McGee lost his Common Council seat in the April election.