Louisiana congressman indicted: faces 200 years on fraud and conspiracy charges.IN EARLY JUNE, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BROUGHT FEDERAL charges against Rep. William Jefferson William Jefferson can refer to more than one person.
Among the criminal allegations handed down in the 94-page indictment indictment (ĭndīt`mənt), in criminal law, formal written accusation naming specific persons and crimes. Persons suspected of crime may be rendered liable to trial by indictment, by presentment, or by information. from the Justice Department are charges that Jefferson violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Foreign Corrupt Practices Act An amendment to the Securities Exchange Act created to sanction bribery of foreign officials by publicly held US companies. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, committed wire fraud, solicited bribes, and laundered money. The nine-term Congressman is accused of using his office to influence a complex web of technology business ventures in Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon in exchange for stock options and cash kickbacks. A trial date of Jan. 16, 2008, has been set. Jefferson, who was unable to comment, released a statement pertaining per·tain intr.v. per·tained, per·tain·ing, per·tains 1. To have reference; relate: evidence that pertains to the accident. 2. to the charges: "I am innocent of these charges and I plan to fight to clear my name," Jefferson wrote. "For 17 years, I have served the people of the 2nd District of Louisiana honestly, and I am committed to serving them today. Did I make mistakes in judgment along the way that I now deeply regret? Yes. But did I sell my office or trade official acts for money? Absolutely not." Jefferson, who has since pleaded not guilty, faces a series of battles not just in the courtroom but in the court of public opinion as well. In May 2006, the FBI raided Jefferson's Capitol Hill offices--the first raid of its kind in U.S. history--seizing documents as well as computer hard drives. In 2005 during a search of Jefferson's home, the FBI found roughly $90,000 in food containers in a freezer freezer the compartment in which meat and offal are stored at freezing temperatures of 10 to 16°F (-12 to -9°C) although there is a trend to lower temperatures of 0 to -22°F (-18 to -30°C). . To make matters appear worse for Jefferson, two of his associates have already pleaded guilty to charges related to Jefferson's federal indictment. |
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