2002 Games scandal chronology

Nov. 24: KTVX Ch. 4 reports that a 1996 letter from Salt Lake Organizing Committee Vice President Dave Johnson shows SLOC made a scholarship payment of more than $10,000 to the daughter of an International Olympic Committee member.

Dec. 23: The U.S. Justice Department launches formal investigation.

1999

Jan. 8: SLOC CEO Frank Joklik announces his and Johnson's resignations.

Jan. 16-March 17: Ten IOC members either resign or are expelled in connection with the Salt Lake bribery scandal, and another 10 are reprimanded.

Feb. 9: The SLOC Board of Ethics releases its 300-page report showing cash, gifts, trips and scholarships to IOC members from bid officials totaled more than $1 million. It holds former bid and organizing committee president Tom Welch and Johnson.

Aug. 3: Utah businessman David E. Simmons agrees to plead guilty to a misdemeanor tax violation stemming from his company's employment of John Kim, the son of IOC member Un Yong Kim.

Sept. 1: John Kim is indicted on charges that he lied to the FBI and used a fraudulently obtained green card.

Dec. 11-12: The IOC approves reforms stemming from the scandal.

2000

March 14: Former USOC official Alfredo LaMont pleads guilty to two tax felonies, including a conspiracy charge that allegedly involved unnamed bid committee officials in an attempt to defraud the IRS of taxes owed on money LaMont earned consulting for the bid.

July 20: A federal grand jury indicts Welch and Johnson on charges of fraud, conspiracy and racketeering.

2001

July 16: U.S. District Judge David Sam dismisses four of the 15 counts against Welch and Johnson and vacates the pair's July 30 trial date.

Nov. 15: Sam dismisses the remaining counts pending against them.

2002

Jan. 23: The U.S. Department of Justice files its appeal of Sam's dismissal of all charges against Welch and Johnson with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Sept. 27: The 10th Circuit Court in Denver hears oral arguments on the government's appeal.

2003

April 22: Three judges on the 10th Circuit overturn Sam's dismissals and send the case back to Utah's federal court.

Oct. 28: Trial begins and is expected to last six weeks.

Nov. 12: Defense discredits a key government witness, bid finance director Rod Hamson, claiming he bilked the bid committee on his expense reimbursements.

Dec. 1: Called as a prosecution witness, Olympic trustee Spencer Eccles says the trial is "ill-conceived" and that he knows of no laws that were broken.

Dec. 3: Prosecution rests its case, and defense moves to dismiss the charges.

Dec. 5: Federal Judge David Sam acquits Welch and Johnson on all 15 felony fraud charges.