Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Obama friend Rep. Chaka Fattah (D) indicted on multiple corruption and racketeering charges

On July 14th...

On July 29th...
(NBC) A longtime Philadelphia congressman was indicted Wednesday in a racketeering case stemming from the alleged misappropriation of hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal, charitable and campaign funds after his failed 2007 run for mayor.

Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah, 58, and four associates were charged with bribery; conspiracy to commit wire, honest services, bank and mail fraud; money laundering and other charges. The others charged include Fattah's congressional district director, Bonnie Bowser, and Palm Beach, Florida, lobbyist Herbert Vederman.

Fattah has been the subject of a long-running federal investigation.

Prosecutors said the charges covered several schemes, including the use of federal grants and charitable contributions to Fattah's educational foundation to pay back part of a $1 million loan from a wealthy campaign supporter and arranging a federal grant in lieu of a $130,000 payment to a political consultant.

"The public does not expect their elected officials to misuse campaign funds, misappropriate government funds, accept bribes or commit bank fraud," U.S. Attorney Zane Memeger said. "These type of criminal acts betray the public trust and undermine faith in government."

More...