Government wants Lang’s wife sequestered
The government is requesting West Chester Twp. Trustee George Lang’s wife, Debbie Lang, be sequestered. While she holds marital privilege that would allow her not to testify at trail, the government’s Tuesday filing states, “She may, however, elect to waive her privilege concerning any business dealings at Performance Benefits Solutions and The Lang Agency.” According to the court filing, Debbie Lang is also her husband’s business partner. The government said if Debbie Lang is a witness for the defense, the government requests she — and any other defense witnesses — be sequestered.
CINCINNATI — The attorneys for West Chester Twp. Trustee George Lang insist the politician indicted on a federal perjury charge is innocent.
Lang is accused of lying under oath on Aug. 11, 2009, in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati during the trial of Orlando Carter, the former president of the now-defunct Dynus Technologies. Carter was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his involvement in Dynus taking out $6.5 million in loans in Butler County’s name without county approval.
According to testimony in that case, Lang, 45, said several times he did not know Jim Smith was employed by Dynus. Smith is a former marketing director at the time, and he later served as the company’s president.
In a 19-page brief filed Tuesday by the federal government, it lays out its evidence showing Lang did know Smith was a Dynus employee.
“We’ll respond in court,” said Dan Warncke, one of Lang’s attorneys, of the government’s filing.
The trial is expected to begin after jury selection, which is set to begin at 9 a.m. Monday. It could take up to five days.
According to the government’s filing, Lang’s company, Performance Benefits Solutions, was given the employee benefits work for all Dynus employees. Smith was hired as the company’s chief marketing officer on July 29, 2004, and Performance Benefits Solutions enrolled Smith for benefits on Sept. 3, 2004.
The documents were stored at Lang’s companies — The Lang Agency and Performance Benefits Solutions — both located at 9685 Cincinnati-Dayton Road in West Chester Twp.
Additionally, the government claims “Lang introduced Smith to various government officials in Butler County, West Chester Twp. and elsewhere as the chief marketing officer or general manager at Dynus.” A Dec. 6, 2004, e-mail indicates Lang referred to Smith and Carter as the “leadership” of Dynus.
During Carter’s trial, Smith and former Butler County Republican Party executive chair Scott Owens testified Smith was an employee, and Lang paid Smith $100,000 in kickbacks as he was a Dynus employee.
A pre-trial conference took place Wednesday at the federal courthouse in Cincinnati.
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