Jury rules ex-congressman must forfeit $470,000

• By MATTHEW BARAKAT
• Associated Press writer
• Published: Aug 6, 2009 - UPDATED: 4:10 p.m.

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ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A federal jury has ruled that a former Louisiana congressman must forfeit roughly $470,000 in bribery receipts.

Thursday's ruling comes a day after Democrat William Jefferson was convicted on 11 counts, including bribery, for using his influence to broker business deals in Africa.

The jury returned to consider the technical question of whether he would be required to forfeit any funds he received.

Jefferson will be sentenced Oct. 30. Prosecutors say federal sentencing guidelines could call for more than 20 years in prison. It will also be up to a judge to impose any financial penalties.

Jefferson represented parts of New Orleans for almost 20 years. His conviction came a little more than four years after the FBI found $90,000 cash hidden in the freezer of his Washington home.

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Jefferson convicted
Jury finds ex-congressman guilty on 11 counts
GERARD SHIELDS
Advocate Washington bureau

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, a Harvard-educated lawyer who grew up in one of the poorest regions in the country to serve 18 years in Congress, was convicted Wednesday of 11 counts of public corruption.

A federal jury found Jefferson guilty of bribery, conspiracy, fraud, money laundering and racketeering. The panel agreed with prosecutors that Jefferson used his office to orchestrate a criminal enterprise that spanned two continents.

U.S. Justice Department officials called the conviction critical to the fight against public corruption.

“He used his influence and power to enrich himself and his family,” U.S. Attorney Dana Boente said after the verdict. “This case was about greed and money and the jury agreed with us. No congressman is above the law.”

The eight women and four men jury, four of whom are black, concurred that Jefferson used his office and influence to promote American business projects in Africa in return for payments to himself and family members. The jury found that Jefferson required that in return for his help, the companies had to either hire his wife, brother or son-in-law as consultants between 2000 and 2005.

A sullen Jefferson stood with his hands clasped and showed no emotion as he watched the court clerk read off the verdict. Immediately after the decision, Jefferson retreated to the front row of the courtroom with his wife and two of his five daughters.