253: Charles Stuber – NC Speaker Jim Black, Corruption

In this episode, retired agent Charles “Chuck” Stuber reviews his investigation of North Carolina Speaker of the House Jim Black for bribery.

At the time, NC Speaker Jim Black was serving his eleventh term in the House of Representatives and was the most powerful politician in the state.

Chuck Stuber served in the FBI for 28 years. His first assignment was to the Denver FBI Office where he worked white collar crime, violent crimes, fugitives and joined SWAT.

He was the case agent on three substantial Ponzi scheme cases, including the largest investment fraud case in Colorado history.

The investigation targeted James Douglas Donahue, who defrauded over 2,000 investors out of $316 million.

After a transfer to the Washington Field Office (WFO), Chuck was assigned to the U.S. House of Representatives Bank Task Force, investigating Members of Congress for misusing their accounts at the House Bank which led to the prosecution and conviction of former U.S. House of Representatives Member Donald “Buz” Lukens for bribery and an Ohio businessman for paying bribes to Lukens.

Chuck received an Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for his work on the House Bank case.

Based on his successes, Chuck received a specialty transfer to the Charlotte FBI Division, Raleigh Resident Agency, to start a public corruption program.

While assigned to the Raleigh RA, Chuck investigated and prosecuted numerous public officials, including U.S. Congressman Frank Balance, North Carolina (NC) District Court Judge Garey Ballance, NC House of Representatives Member Michael Decker, NC Governor Mike Easley, and former U.S. Senator and Presidential Candidate John Edwards.

He was also a hostage negotiator in the Charlotte Division and was involved in several cases, resulting in the release of hostages and kidnap victims.

Upon retiring from the FBI, Chuck took a position as the Chief Investigator for the NC State Board of Elections (NCSBE). In that position, he handled many significant election matters and selected and set up an investigative team for the NCSBE.

Chuck currently is a partner with SRS Consulting Services, LLC, consulting on white collar crime and corruption cases, forensic accounting matters, and other types of investigations. He also teaches at Wake Technical Community College in both the Criminal Justice and Accounting Programs.

Special Agent (Retired)

Charles Stuber

9/1985 – 5/2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“When we were working this case, I don’t know how many times people told us you will never touch Jim Black. He’s untouchable. He’s too powerful.”—Retired Agent Charles Stuber

The following are links to articles about the investigation and conviction of NC Speaker Jim Black for public corruption:

WRAL – 2/5/2003: Black, Morgan Elected Co-Speakers Of State House

WRAL – 7/11/2007: Black Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison

News Observer: Decker Admits Conspiracy in $50,000 Deal to Help Black

News Observer: Money Source for Black Indicted

Indy Week – 8/16/2006: Black day at the IHOP

Listen to other FBI Retired Case File Review episodes about public corruption cases here.

Photo from the front page of the Charlotte Observer of NC Speaker Jim Black being escorted into the Federal Courthouse in Raleigh, NC, to face the charges against him. Chuck Stuber is on the right. Tim Reilly, of the IRS CID, is on the left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the time of the investigation, NC House Speaker Jim Black was considered the most powerful politician in the state.
Photo of NC House of Representatives Member Michael Decker, who accepted a bribe to switch political parties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chuck Stuber, pictured here with his family, received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award from U.S. Attorney Janet Reno.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jerri Williams

View posts by Jerri Williams
Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, jokes that she writes about the FBI to relive her glory days. After 26 years with the Bureau specializing in major economic fraud and corruption investigations, she calls on her professional encounters with scams and schemers to write police procedurals inspired by true crime FBI cases in her Philadelphia FBI Corruption Squad crime fiction series featuring flawed female FBI agent Kari Wheeler. Jerri’s FBI for Armchair Detectives nonfiction series enables readers to discover who the FBI is and what the FBI does by debunking misconceptions about the FBI in books, TV, and movies. Her books are available as ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks wherever books are sold. She’s also the host of FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast with more than 300 episodes available on all popular podcast apps and YouTube.

3 Comments

  1. […] Chuck Stuber was previously a guest of FBI Retired Case File Review episode 253: NC Speaker Jim Black, Corruption. […]

    Reply
  2. Wilson JohnsJune 24, 2023

    RE Speaker Jim Black- “Why would he plead guilty” so soon after he was indicted? Only professional law enforcement officials would respond in the way these two ex-FBI’ers did.
    The rest of us would say “Because Black knew he did 47 more crimes for each one listed.”
    Jerri impresses the heck outta me, and I can’t be the only one.

    Reply
    1. Jerri WilliamsJuly 1, 2023

      Thank you for your kind words. I should post another case review with Chuck Stuber before the end of the year. Stay tuned.

      Reply

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