JANUARY: Lynn McCarter, a top assistant - and girlfriend - to Steve LaBrake, Tampa's director of business and community services, secures a $230,000 mortgage from the University of South Florida Credit Union despite having a marginal financial statement. Lori Roberts, the credit union's loan officer, handled the loan. Previously McCarter and LaBrake had interceded on Roberts' behalf for a city-financed renovation of her home.
JAN. 8: McCarter buys an 838-square-foot concrete block house on W Corona Street in South Tampa for $121,000.
JAN. 18: Tampa-Hillsborough Action Plan, a nonprofit that received millions of dollars in grants and city contracts during LaBrake's tenure, pays Atlas Movers $22,000 to haul the existing house off McCarter's property, thereby saving McCarter demolition costs.
JAN. 25: Construction begins on McCarter's new four-bedroom, 31/2-bath, 4,200-square-foot home. Cost of construction: $120,000. McCarter's contractor, Dean Ryan of Ryan Construction, has received more than $1-million through LaBrake's department in recent years to build low-income housing.
MARCH 22: Dean Ryan writes a $13,379 check to pay off McCarter's credit card debt.
LATE JULY: WFTS-Ch. 28 broadcasts stories on McCarter's home, her relationship with LaBrake and LaBrake's relationship with Ryan Construction.
Mayor Dick Greco orders an investigation into whether LaBrake used his position to obtain a sweetheart deal for McCarter. The city also investigates McCarter's side job of selling gift baskets to THAP. McCarter's business, called So, What's the Occasion? received more than $31,000 from a THAP subsidiary to supply "congratulations packages" - containing a pen, calculator, flashlight and other sundries - to be distributed to new homeowners.
OCT. 5: Greco places LaBrake on a 90-day paid administrative leave from his $105,000-a-year job while under criminal investigation.
NOVEMBER: The state Ethics Commission finds that LaBrake violated no ethics codes. Later that month, the Ethics Commission repudiates the report, saying it could not rely on information gathered by the city and submitted by Mayor Greco.
DEC. 3: THAP CEO Chester M. Luney resigns his $78,000-a-year job as head of the non-profit group.
JANUARY: LaBrake's administrative leave from the city ends, and he is replaced.
JAN. 24: The state Ethics Commission rules that a legal loophole prevented it from finding that LaBrake broke state nepotism laws. But commissioners said LaBrake appeared to have abused his former public position.
FEB. 1: Ryan Construction sues McCarter to collect $168,431.51 for work done on the South Tampa home.
FEB. 8: LaBrake and McCarter put the W Corona Avenue home up for sale for $650,000.
MAY 9: The city of Tampa severs its ties with THAP.
SEPT. 5: LaBrake and McCarter marry.
FEB. 12: Lynne LaBrake opts to take early retirement and accept a $6,822 payment in exchange for dropping all claims against the city.
FEB. 25: Steve LaBrake is sentenced to 18 months of probation after pleading guilty to charges of attacking his wife's ex-husband. As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, LaBrake must also perform 50 hours of community service and pay $352 restitution to the victim, Scott McCarter.
AUG. 26: Six city employees who worked for LaBrake are ordered to testify before a federal grand jury.
NOV. 20: Steve and Lynne LaBrake, Chester Luney, Dean Ryan and Lori Horne (formerly Lori Roberts) are indicted on fraud and corruption-related charges.
