The Unauthorized Randy “Duke” Cunningham Page

Cunningham Bribery Scandals

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Cunningham pleads guilty [click for article]

• Photographs of Cunningham’s old Del Mar Heights home (below)
• Photographs of Cunningham’s Rancho Santa Fe mansion (below)
• Real estate records (below)
• Selected news, photos, and editorial cartoons (below)
• Cunningham pleads guilty and resigns (below)
• Cunningham sentenced to 8 years, 4 months prison (below)

Defense Contractor Mitchell Wade, in a sweetheart deal, secretly bought Duke and Nancy Cunningham’s Del Mar Heights house November 20, 2003 for $1,675,000. They hid the sale through a shell corporation of Wade’s, “1523 New Hampshire Avenue LLC.” A month later, Wade put it on the market, but it didn’t sell until the price was reduced to market value, eight months later. Wade sold Cunningham’s old home for $975,000. Since home values haven’t gone down recently in San Diego, it seems Wade gave Cunningham $700,000 (not a campaign contribution, but apparently an illegal gift). Wade never moved in there, as he and his company, MZM Inc. are in the Washington, D. C. area and don’t do business in San Diego. Cunningham bought his Rancho Santa Fe mansion for $2.55 million. Shortly later, Cunningham had Brent Wilkes pay his second mortgage on the Rancho Santa Fe Mansion and Wade pay the first mortgage. In exchange, it appears Cunningham helped Wade get contracts for his MZM Inc. ($41 million in fiscal 2003, $65 million in 2004) to triple MZM’s profits in 2004. Cunningham says the contracts are “very, very classified” stuff, so he can’t talk about it. Wilkes gained $6 million in defense contracts for unwanted hardware worth $1.5 million In short, these were war profiteering bribes.

Photographs of Cunningham’s old Del Mar Heights Home

Here’s a photograph of Duke and Nancy Cunningham’s old home on Mercado Dr. in Del Mar Heights. The 3826 sq. ft. home (big, but not a mansion) was sold to defense contractor Stephen Wade’s shell corporation for $700,000 over its market value [map]. First one taken by me (Dan Anderson) 6/17/2005.

[click to enlarge] KUSI Channel 9/51 News cameraman photographing Duke Cunningham’s old Del Mar Heights Home

[click for article with full size photo] Aerial view of Cunningham’s old Del Mar Heights home (Union-Tribune)

Photographs of Cunningham’s Rancho Santa Fe Mansion

Photos of Cunningham’s 7628 sq. ft. home at 7094 Via del Charro, Rancho Santa Fe. Taken by me (Dan Anderson) 6/18/2005. [map] [Satellite photo map]. [Assessor’s Map] See also article and photo of a protest near Cunningham’s home (6/17/2005) (S. D. Union-Tribune’s SignonSanDiego.com). KUSI has protest photos and aerial shots of the house.

[click to enlarge] Gated entrance to Cunningham home

[click to enlarge] Cunningham Address sign

Satellite map [click to view]

[click to enlarge] House is barely visible from near the driveway.

[click to enlarge] However, you can see the Cunningham home from just down the street (Northern view). Entrance is on the left.

[click to enlarge] [click to enlarge] Close-up photos of the Rancho Santa Fe home, from an anonymous photographer (rawstory.com, 6/23/2005)

Aerial photos of the Rancho Santa Fe home: story, slide show (KUSI, 6/14/2005)

• More Cunningham mansion photos, and Rancho Santa Fe neighborhood (Kim McCall, 6/25/2005)
• Comparables for Rancho Santa Fe home

[click to enlarge] Deed of Del Mar home

Real Estate Records

The following public records are searchable online from the San Diego County Recorder and the searchable online County Assessor records. These are concerning Cunningham’s sale of his 3826 sq. ft. Del Mar Heights home on Mercado Dr. [map] to defense contractor Stephen Wade for $700,000 over its true worth.

• 1/20/1988: Cunningham buys Del Mar Heights home for $435,000 (1988-0024671).
• 11/20/2003: Cunningham sells his home to Wade’s shell corporation "1523 NH Ave. LLC," (2003-1392041). Sold for $1,675,000.
  • Grant Deed of Del Mar Home (2003-1392041)
  • Corporate details for “1523 New Hampshire Avenue LLC.” (Nevada Secretary of State)
• 10/13/2004: Sale by Wade, through his shell corporation, 1523 New Hampshire Avenue LLC. of Cunningham’s old home, 261 days later (2004-0973682). Offered for sale for $1,680,000 less than a month after Wade purchased it, but it didn’t sell until the price was lowered to market value ($975,000).
  • Assessor’s record of sale for $975,000, parcel 300 361 74 00



[click to enlarge] Rancho Santa Fe deed

• 12/3/2003: Purchase of Cunningham’s home in Rancho Santa Fe (2003-1434426). Bought a 7628 sq. ft. home on a 2.89 acre lot at 7094 Via del Charro [map] for $2,550,000 from Douglas Powanda, former VP of Sales for Peregrine Systems Inc. (Powanda was indicted for accounting fraud October 2004. Peregrine Systems is not related to Cunningham contributor Peregrine Semiconductor).
  • Grant Deed of Rancho Santa Fe Home (2003-1434426)
  • It appears that the purchase price of the Rancho Santa Fe home may have been below market (comps).
  • Assessor’s record of purchase, parcel 265 370 10 00
  • 12/3/2003: 1st and 2nd 20-year trust deeds for Cunningham’s Rancho Santa Fe home, with Coastal Capital Corp. (dba The Mortgage Shop) of Greenville, NY, for $595,000 and $500,000 (total $1,095,000) (2003-1434427 & 2003-1434428). Family of buyer of Cunningham's yacht, Kelly C, mortgated Cunningham’s Rancho Santa Fe home
  • 2004 property taxes were $26,763.04 (Property Tax payments for parcel 2653701000).

Selected Links and News

[click to enlarge] Spoof ad by Rep. Stark on Cunningham house scandal (Story: The Hill, 6/20/2005)

• Original San Diego Union-Tribune article by Marcus Stern on Randy Cunningham’ hidden home sale to his military contractor "friend," Stephen Wade (6/12/2005)
• Follow-up Union-Tribune article (Marcus Stern, 6/15/2005)
• Steve Breem editorial cartoon on Cunningham scandal (6/15/2005)
• Channel 10 News (KGTV) has a story with photos, including Mitchell Wade and the Del Mar Heights home (6/15/2005)
• House leader Tom DeLay, himself under Ethics Committee investigation, defends Cunningham’s home sale (The Hill, 6/15/2005)
• William Bennett of the North County Times (NC Times) discovers the boat in Cunningham’s yacht club slip, Duke-Stir, is owned by defense contractor Wade (6/16/2005) [Related 1998 article on Kelly C.]
• Commentary by Union-Trib columnist Logan Jenkins (6/16/2005), reader reaction (6/18), and commentary on Cunningham statement (6/27).
• Cunningham Cartoon by Mark Thornhill (N. C. Times, 6/16/2005)
• Follow-up, by Marcus Stern and Joe Cantlupe, compares Cunningham’s old home with a home truly worth $1.6 million. Also has a good picture of the "Duke-Stir" boat (6/17/2005)
• NBC channel 7/39 (KUSI) story. Includes an interesting slide show of the Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe homes with aerial photos.



[click to enlarge] Duke-Stir: photo and original NC Times story (Union-Tribune)

• Jeffrey Birnbaum & Renae Merle of the Washington Post (6/17/2005) found Wade funded and created “The Sure Foundation.” Cunningham’s wife & daughter are on its Advisory Council. The Sure Foundation used to have a PDF newsletter with pictures of Wade & Cunninghams at a party, but it has since disappeared from the website (June 2005). William Bennett of the NC Times reported on 6/17/2005 that Cunningham’s subcommittee authorized a $100,000 grant to The Sure Foundation. More details on The Sure Foundation.
• The Washington Post editorial on the scandal (6/17/2005)
• Cunningham’s conservative base is bashing his house sale. See the blog Right Wing News
• Demonstrators march near Cunningham’s Rancho Santa Fe house ("house warming party") (6/17/2005)
• Interview with Marcus Stern, who broke the story (KPBS audio, 6/20/2005, no longer available)



[click to view] Union-Trib Cartoon by Steve Breen

• FOXNews has a story with a video of the Duke-Stir boat and aerial shots of Cunningham’s Rancho Santa Fe home (6/21/2005)
• NPR Radio report by Scott Horsley (audio, 6/21/2004)
• Union-Tribune’s Marcus Stern reports defense contractor MZM forced employees to contribute to Cunningham and other Congressional members (6/22/2005)
• The best commentary I’ve seen is by Josh Marshall in “Cunningham issue raises questions of war profiteering” (The Hill, 6/24/2005)
• MZM secrecy by Bruce Bigelow (Union-Tribune, 6/24/2005)
• ADCS contributions to Cunningham and influence by Cunningham on Pentagon contracts for ADCS by David Washburn (Union-Tribune, 6/25/2005). (Original 1997 article on ADCS.)



[click to enlarge] Mitchell Wade, MZM Inc. (Martinsville Bulletin)

• Details on the Pentagon’s blanket-purchase agreement contracts to MZM. MZM’s president Mitchell Wade has several ties to Cunningham. by Marcus Stern (Union-Tribune, 6/25/2005)
• Details on Cunningham’s Del Mar Heights house sale to MZM president Mitchell Wade. Includes interviews with neighbors and a good aerial photo of the home by Dani Dodge. The pool shown is new. (Union-Tribune, 6/25/2005)
• “Cunningham reports don’t show substantial wealth” (Mark Walker, NC Times, 6/25/2005)
• Cunningham’s criminal defense attorney, K. Lee Blalack (NC Times, 6/25/2005)
• Cunningham can use his campaign funds ($635,000) to pay his legal bills by Mark Walker (NC Times, 6/27/2005)
• Fair market values for renting Duke-Stir by William Bennett (NC Times, 6/27/2005)
• MZM resignations; MZM may be sold (Union-Tribune, 6/28/2005)
• Angry internal memo on MZM resignations (Mark Walker, NC Times, 6/28/2005)
• Pentagon orders halt on new work for MZM. Includes photo of Wade. (Renae Merle & Jeffrey Smith, Washington Post, 6/28/2005)
• A federal grand jury in California has subpoenaed documents from Duke Cunningham (Washington Post, 6/28/2005)



[click here for webpage archive] Detail of $595 Cunningham knife with Congressional Seal [click here to enlarge]

• Cunningham’s Top Gun Enterprises Inc. appears to be for laundering money from supporters. It includes a $595 limited edition knife with a Congressional seal. Federal law prohibits the seal's commercial use. The topguninc.com website was disabled 6/30/2005, but here's an archive version with the price: Duke Cunningham $595 knife (Mark Walker, NC Times, 6/29/2005, FOXNews video)
• 10 News commissioned a poll on Cunningham. More details at NC Times (6/30/2005)
• Washington Post reports on MZM paper shredding and FBI search of MZM and Duke-Stir yacht (7/1/2005)
• Federal agents raid Cunningham’s Rancho Santa Fe mansion, Duke-Stir yacht, MZM, and Wade’s home (Joe Cantlupe, Union-Trib, 7/2/2005) NC Times article shows FBI cars leaving Cunningham's home.
• Duke-Stir is for sale (7/1/2005)
• Republicans eyeing Cunningham’s seat in 2006 (William Bennett, NC Times, 7/2/2005)



[click to view] North County Times Cartoon by Mark Thornhill

• Buyer of Cunningham’s Kelly C yacht had family’s mortgate company financed Cunningham's Rancho Santa Fe home (3 stories, each with something new: Washington Post 7/5/2005, San Diego Union-Tribune 7/5/2005, and North County Times 7/5/2005)
• Democratic ad about Cunningham (7/6/2005)
• Buyer of Cunningham’s Kelly C yacht and whose family mortgage company financed Cunningham’s Rancho Santa Fe home also financed his former Arlington, VA home Seth Hettena, AP, 7/8/2005, & public tax records)
• Capital Yacht Club members & employees subpoenaed (Seth Hettena, AP, 7/14/2005)
• Cunningham will not seek reelection in 2006 (San Diego Union-Tribune, 7/15/2005) [Reaction, CREW says Cunningham must resign now]
• Doubts about whether $700,000 in campaign funds can be used in legal defense (Mark Walker, North County Times,, 7/18/2005)
• Cunningham writes to prosecutor of developer who bought Duke’s Kelly C boat and whose family’s company mortgated his Rancho Santa Fe home (Post, 7/26/2005)
• Cunningham contributors form shell corporation First Auditors to receive IRS contract money, with the help of Cunningham (U-T, 7/29/2005)



Cunningham corruption worksheet

• Cunningham use of contributor's private jet (U-T, 8/5/2005)
• Cunningham contributor ADCS raided (U-T, 8/17/2005. Also Washington Post, 8/18/2005 & N C Times, 8/17/2005, with photo)
• Defense Dept. pressured to award ADCS contract (N C Times, 8/18/2005)
• U.S. Attorney General files lawsuit to forfeit Cunningham home (U-T, 8/18/2005)
• Cunningham legal defense fund with campaign contributions (U-T, 8/20/2005)
• Wray Cummings has an interactive worksheet illustrating Cunningham corruption (8/20/2005)
• Attorney General accuses Cunningham & wife of bribery (U-T, 8/25/2005)
• Cunningham & political pork process (U-T, 8/31/2005)



[click to view] U-T Cartoon by Steve Breen

• Cunningham backs down on promise to release boat financial records (U-T, 8/31/2005)
• Third boat involved: Cunningham had free use of Brent Wilkes’ boat (U-T, 9/10/2005)
• Cunningham contributor/sugar daddy Kontogiannis's home raided; Kontogiannis went to Saudi Arabia with the Duke (U-T, 9/24/2005)




[click to view] Union-Trib editorial & Cartoon by Steve Breen

Cunningham pleads guilty [click for article & sketch]

[click to view] North County Times Cartoon by Mark Thornhill




[click to view] Cunningham Bribe Menu from Prosecutor’s Sentencing Memorandum

• Duke Cunningham pleads guilty of tax evasion and conspiracy for taking bribes for helping a defense contractor get contracts. Resigns; faces prison (sentencing 1 p.m. March 3, 2006, Judge Larry Burns). Special election April 11, 2006. Includes video. (U-T, 11/29/05)
• Cunningham’s Plea Agreement (full text) where he pleads guilty and forfeits his ill-gotten gains, 11/28/2005
• Cunningham's bribery betrays troops; largest bribery ever in Congress (U-T, 12/1/05)
• "Top Gun's Tailspin" (Newsweek, 12/12/05 by Evan Thomas & Jamie Reno)
• Shooting down Cunningham's [War Hero] Legend (U-T, 1/15/2006)
• Government Sentencing Memorandum and letters of support for Cunningham (North County Times 2/18/2006). Link to defense response in Union-Tribune article, 2/18.



Cunningham sentencing (cbs)   [click for article and sketch]

• Cunningham sentenced to 8 years, 4 months (first hand report, Dan Anderson, 3/3/2006)
• Cunningham's war heroics cited in reduced term (San Diego Union-Tribune, 3/4/2006)
• Anatomy of a bribe: ex-lawmaker's web of cash, contracts Comes with a good chart. (San Diego Union-Tribune, 3/4/2006)
• North County congressman avoids maximum sentence (North County Times, 3/4/2006)
• 'I Made the Wrong Turn' (Voice of San Diego, 3/4/2006) (Note: in the Voice photo, I'm just to the right of the yellow raincoat, while taking this photo)
• Auction of Cunningham loot (U-T, 3/24/2006)
• Inmate Locator: Randall Harold Cunningham (Bureau of Prisons, # 94405-198)


• Ex-congressman's friend emerges as mystery man [Thomas Kontogiannis], Joe Cantlupe, Union-Tribune 4/15/2006. See also "Cunningham, Fellon Met With Saudi Crown Prince" by Justin Rood (TPM Muckraker, 4/17/2006)
• Pulitzer Prize won by The San Diego Union-Tribune, Copley News Service, with Marcus Stern and Jerry Kammer, 4/17/2006 (also U-T story)
• FBI is investigating if Cunningham spent time with MZM-provided prostitutes at the Westin Grand and Watergate (4/27/06) (Wall Street Journal 4/27/2006, p. A-6)
• Cunningham not cooperating, despite plea agreement (Mark Walker, NC Times, 5/10/2006)
• "Secret Bills aided Cunningham" (AP, 7/23/2006)
• Cunningham Scandal could widen to Congressional memo (TPM, 8/10/2006) More details at Union-Trib, 8/11/2006.
• Nancy Cunningham, Duke's wife, interviewed by "Kitty" Kelly in The New Republic, 8/26/2006 (registration required). Excerpts at TPMmuckraker and NC Times Commentary by Logan Jenkins (U-T, 8/24/06).
• Nancy Cunningham forfeit her rights to their Rancho Santa Fe home in exchange for not being prosecuted; will negotiate tax liability with IRS (U-T, 10/7/06)
• Duke Cunningham prison letter blames Michael Wade, "tabloid" Union-Tribune, and reporter Marcus Stern for downfall (U-T, 10/7/06) Full text of letter.
• YouTube Spoof video of James Adomian impersonating "George Bush" discussing Duke Cunningham (10/2006)
• Cunningham Prosecutor U.S. Attorney Carol Lam forced to resign (U-T, 1/12/07)
• Wilkes indictment details use of prostitutes by Cunningham and others (TPM, 2/13/2007) More from U-T: Iraq War corruption, CIA corruption, Wilkes/Foggo/CIA, Cunningham prison life, Wilkes gift list to Cunningham Corruption timeline
• Corruption now reaches back to at least September 1996 (NC Times, 2/17/2007)
• Books about Cunningham scandal released (May and July 2007):
  
  • The Wrong Stuff: The Extraordinary Saga of Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, the Most Corrupt Congressman Ever Caught, by Marcus Stern, Jerry Kammer, Dean Calbreath, & George E. Condon Jr. (May 2007)
    • Review by Logan Jenkins (U-T, 5/31/07)
    • The Wrong Stuff book website
  • Feasting on the Spoils: The Life and Times of Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, History's Most Corrupt Congressman, by Seth Hettena, AP (July 2007)
    • Seth Hettena Feasting on the Spoils website (includes a blog)
• Cunningham prison interviews by FBI (U-T, 7/17/2007)
• Cunningham financier Tommy Kontogiannis (and apparent counterterrorism informant) evidence kept secret (SD U-T, 4/20/2008)
• Seth Hettena has a note on Duke's clemency, with more questions than answers. Also information on his pardon request to President Bush (NY Times, 7/19/2008)
• "Crazy" letter from Cunningham to Judge, ca. June 2010 (SethHettena.com, 9/7/2010)
• Cunningham wants his gun rights restored to live in a cabin and hunt (SethHettena.com, 5/2012)
• 'Duke' Cunningham living in an Arkansas gated community after early release (KPBS, 7/2014)
• Trump's 11th hour pardon of Duke Cunningham called total disgrace Also a column about Duke's corruption (SD U-T, 1/20/2021).



[click to view] Steve Breen Cartoon, 3/1/06 (with an editorial)

[click to view] Mark Thornhill Cartoon, 11/30/05

[click to view] Mark Thornhill Cartoon, 12/12/05



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