On August 5, 2009, former Congressman William Jefferson (D-LA) was found guilty of 11 charged counts, including solicitation of bribes, honest services wire fraud, money laundering, and racketeering. Jefferson was also found guilty of conspiring to violate the FCPA in connection with advancing a telecommunications project sponsored by iGate Inc. of Louisville, KY. However, under the same 16-count indictment, Jefferson was found not guilty of the substantive FCPA charge. Prosecutors alleged that that Jefferson intended to bribe Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar with $100,000 — $90,000 of which was famously found stashed in Jefferson’s freezer– in an attempt to steer telecommunications contracts to iGate.
Jefferson was the first U.S. public official to be charged with violating the FCPA. A nine-term congressman, Jefferson now faces 150 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for October 30, 2009.
The DOJ Press release detailing the charges is attached.