In Absentia

1: Wiretapped

By Bria Lloyd,

Cassandra Basler, Jim Haddadin, Meg Dalton, Kate Seltzer

Published April 22, 2024 at 8:01 PM EDT

Bridgeport, Conn., Mayor Joseph P. Ganim is applauded as he speaks to reporters outside U.S. District Court in New Haven, Conn., Friday, Nov. 2, 2001. Ganim pleaded innocent to a variety of federal corruption charges for which he was indicted Wednesday.

In the 1990s, a young political newcomer named Joe Ganim became mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut. At the time, he was considered a rising star in state politics. But his career took an unexpected turn, and the FBI got involved.

In Absentia

Bria Lloyd

Bria Lloyd was an investigative reporter for The Accountability Project at Connecticut Public, the newsroom’s investigative reporting initiative.

See stories by Bria Lloyd

Cassandra Basler

Cassandra Basler oversees Connecticut Public’s flagship daily news programs, Morning Edition and All Things Considered. She’s also an editor of the station’s limited series podcast, 'In Absentia' and producer of the five-part podcast Unforgotten: Connecticut’s Hidden History of Slavery.

See stories by Cassandra Basler

Jim Haddadin

Jim Haddadin is an editor for The Accountability Project, Connecticut Public's investigative reporting team. He was previously an investigative producer at NBC Boston, and wrote for newspapers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

See stories by Jim Haddadin

Meg Dalton

Meg Dalton is the director of audio storytelling and talk shows for Connecticut Public where she oversees the station’s talk shows and podcasts, including the limited series 'In Absentia'.

See stories by Meg Dalton

Kate Seltzer

Kate Seltzer was the Roy Howard Investigative Reporting Fellow as part of The Accountability Project at Connecticut Public, the newsroom’s investigative reporting initiative.

See stories by Kate Seltzer