SBI sought evidence on Wright allegations

A State Bureau of Investigation agent searched a Durham nonprofit last week looking for evidence of new allegations that state Rep. Thomas Wright, a Wilmington Democrat, committed loan fraud.

According to a copy of a search warrant filed in Wake County today, SBI Agent Rufus Williams searched the N.C. Minority Support Center for "financial records, copies of loan files, copies of account statements, deposit slips with photostats of items deposited, wire transfers, and canceled checks" under the control of Wright and a foundation he helped create.

Williams said in an affidavit that he sought the search after officials with the support center said that Wright obtained a loan for the foundation from a subsidiary, the Southeast Community Credit Union. Williams said the loan had not been deposited in the foundation's account.

Wright has been under investigation for nearly a year. Joe Sinsheimer, a political consultant and campaign finance watchdog, filed a complaint with the State Board of Elections regarding campaign contributions that he believed Wright had attempted to hide during an election.

The board's investigation found that Wright had failed to report more than $200,000 in campaign contributions over the past six years. It also found that Wright had gotten a state official to write a phony letter pledging state money toward a building that Wright wanted to buy.

The letter helped convince the owners of the Wilmington building to sell it to Wright, through the foundation. A bank later foreclosed on the building and the owners lost $150,000 on the deal.

Staff writer Dan Kane can be reached at dan.kane@newsobserver.com or (919) 829-4861.