A former District of Columbia tax official charged as an accomplice in the largest public corruption scandal in city history may be willing to cooperate with prosecutors, her lawyer said Thursday.

“She has a story to tell,” A. Scott Bolden said outside a courtroom following a brief hearing for his client, Diane Gustus. “And we want to tell that story.”

But Bolden denied that his client had entered into formal plea negotiations.

In Thursday’s hearings, prosecutors agreed to postpone any indictment against Gustus for 90 days.

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Gustus is accused of helping alleged mastermind Harriette Walters cook up refunds to fictitious companies for years. In raids of homes and businesses of the seven defendants, from New Jersey to the Caribbean, authorities have uncovered millions of dollars in alleged contraband, including Tiffany lamps and beachfront homes. But the search of Gustus’ Clinton, Md., home turned up three boxes of lottery tickets and an assortment of designer bags.

Gustus was months from retiring from her 37-year D.C. career and was working a part-time job at Sears when she was arrested, Bolden has said.

Bolden repeated earlier suggestions that Gustus merely signed documents that Walters put in front of her. Walters was Gustus’ superior.

“Very few employees would challenge that,” Bolden said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Timothy Lynch declined to comment Thursday.

Prosecutors had offered Gustus an informal opportunity to describe what she knew about the case without incriminating herself as a prelude to a possible plea deal. But that offer was set aside in lieu of Thursday’s hearing.

Got a tip on the tax scandal? Call Bill Myers at 202-459-4956 or send him e-mail, bmyers@dcexaminer.com.

smccabe@dcexaminer.com