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Gavel to Gavel: Secret benefactor may fund Wilkes' bail shortfall

Secret benefactor may fund Wilkes' bail shortfall

| Monday, July 14, 2008 5:09 PM PDT ∞

Someone is willing to plunk down bail money for jailed former defense contractor Brent Wilkes to get out of federal custody, but only if he can keep his identity secret from the press and public.

Wilkes, a Poway man convicted last year of bribing former U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, is asking U.S. District Judge Larry Alan Burns to approve that secrecy condition.

Otherwise, the benefactor won't open up his wallet, according to a recent court filing.

"Mr. Wilkes' third party surety seeks to keep his identifying information, including his full name, confidential," Wilkes' attorney, Robert Rexrode, wrote in a motion filed Friday. "Revealing this would both be damaging to his livelihood and would reveal his net worth. ..."

Under the deal proposed by Wilkes through his attorney, even though the man's name would be kept from the public, federal prosecutors could be privy to it.

Money from the would-be benefactor would bridge Wilkes' shortfall in making his $1.4 million bail.

Wilkes has been struggling for the last few months to come up with enough assets to satisfy bail requirements after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said he could get out of jail on bail while he fights his conviction.

The 54-year-old Wilkes has tapped his extended family members to their limit, Rexrode has said in court.

Just how much money Wilkes needs to bridge the gap toward making bail is unclear.

As of April, his family was willing to put up property worth nearly $1 million, but the equity in the homes was worth less.

---- Teri Figueroa