Jan. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud in connection with his purchase of a Florida gambling-boat company, clearing the last hurdle for his cooperation in a Justice Department investigation of corruption.

The plea came five days before Abramoff was to stand trial in Miami over the $147.5 million acquisition of the SunCruz casino line. He and former partner Adam Kidan were indicted in August. Kidan pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy and wire fraud and agreed to cooperate with investigators.

``Frauds like that committed here are not victimless -- they affect real people,'' Acting U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta said in a statement. ``Abramoff's deceptions on such a large scale have and will continue to have significant consequences.''

Abramoff yesterday pleaded guilty to conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion in the Justice Department's corruption probe in Washington. He will aid that investigation, which threatens to ensnare members of Congress and the Bush administration.

Today's proceedings before U.S. District Judge Paul Huck in Miami took just over 20 minutes. Abramoff said nothing except ``yes, your honor,'' to the judge's questions. Acosta said the investigation was continuing. Abramoff and lawyers Neal Sonnett and Abbe Lowell declined comment.

Must Cooperate

Under the plea agreement, Abramoff faces a prison term of 70 months to 87 months in connection with the Florida case. The agreement calls for him to serve that sentence concurrently with his prison term of up to 11 years in the Washington case. The length of his sentence depends on how fully he cooperates with investigators. Sentencing is scheduled for March 16.

In buying SunCruz, Abramoff and Kidan attested that they had contributed $23 million in cash toward the purchase, a condition of obtaining a $60 million loan. To buttress their claim, they sent a false statement indicating the money had been transferred to the account of SunCruz's former owner, Gus Boulis. Acosta said neither man contributed any cash.

Abramoff must repay tens of millions of dollars, said Lawrence LaVecchio, the lead prosecutor in the case.

Abramoff's and Kidan's takeover of SunCruz was supported by Representative Robert Ney of Ohio. Ney entered two statements in the Congressional Record in 2000: One criticized SunCruz's then- owner, Boulis; the other praised Kidan as ``a solid individual and respected member of his community.''

Gangland-Style Murder

Boulis was killed gangland-style in 2001. Three men were arrested last September and charged with murder.

According to yesterday's plea agreement, Ney's statement on Boulis ``was calculated to pressure the then-owner to sell on terms favorable to Abramoff and his partners.'' The lawmaker was identified in the agreement as ``Representative #1.''

Ney's attorney, Mark Tuohey, has said the Republican lawmaker is Representative #1, who was identified as such in plea agreements of both Abramoff and another former partner, Michael Scanlon. Scanlon, a one-time spokesman for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, did public relations work for SunCruz. Scanlon pleaded guilty in November to conspiracy to commit fraud and corrupt public officials.

The Abramoff agreement in Washington said Ney or members of his staff received $4,000 in campaign contributions, trips to Scotland to play golf and to the Super Bowl, and meals and drinks at Abramoff's Washington restaurant, Signatures. The agreement says Scanlon was involved in both of Ney's Congressional Record statements.

``Whenever Congressman Ney took official action, he did so because of his understanding of the merits and facts of the situation and not because of any improper influence from Jack Abramoff or anybody else,'' Ney spokesman Brian Walsh said in a statement. ``The congressman intends to cooperate with the continuing investigation and to separate truth from fiction.''

To contact the reporters on this story: Mort Lucoff in Ft. Lauderdale Jonathan D. Salant in Washington at jsalant@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: January 4, 2006 14:58 EST