[Calvin Locke]

In all honesty, $65K is chicken-feed. So, it's to divert attention away from bigger fish, or the guy failed to pay protection, or someone's looking for a "anti-corruption feather" for their hat when they toss it into the ring.

That's not to say that the kleptocrat shouldn't have to reimburse, and do time, and be held up as an example to all the other rank-and-file city employees.

[generally]

>>$65K is chicken-feed.

That was my reaction, too. Something else is going on here. Great post. Your hypotheses cover all the possibilities I can think of.