Corrupt Democratic Rep. Corrine Brown was found guilty of 18 separate counts on Thursday in a corruption trial that saw her facing 22 charges relating to the alleged use of charity funds as a personal slush fund.
Brown was found guilty on counts 1, 2, 4, 6-13, 15, 17, 19, and 21-24. Brown was found not guilty on counts 3, 5, 14, and 16. Counts 18 and 20 were not against Brown.
According to First Coast News, the counts breakdown as follows:
Count 1 is a conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud charge.
Counts 2 through 8 are aiding and abetting mail fraud charges.
Counts 9 through 17 are aiding and abetting wire fraud charges.
Count 19 is an engaging in a scheme to hide facts charge.
Count 21 is a corruptly endeavoring to abstruct and impede IRS laws filing her tax returns for tax years 2008 – 2014 charge.
Count 22 is a charge alleging filing false U.S. individual income tax returns in 2012.
Count 23 is a charge alleging filing false U.S. individual income tax returns in 2013.
Count 24 is a charge alleging filing false U.S. individual income tax returns in 2014.
Of the $833,000 raised by Brown’s “One Door For Education” charity, only $1,200 was given to students. The remainder of that money, was used for various different purposes unrelated to the charity:
Her defense argues she raised money for the charity while asking for other funds and did not know it was a fake charity. She also says she didn’t know her chief of staff was putting thousands into her account and taking well over $100,000 for himself. $330,000 were used to fund events like receptions, tickets to see Beyonce and an NFL game and a golf tournament.
One juror in Brown’s trial was dismissed Wednesday after repeatedly making references to “higher beings.” Following that dismissal, an alternate juror was brought in, resulting in the judge ordering the remaining jurors to disregard earlier deliberations and start again.
Brown served as the representative for Florida’s fifth Congressional district before losing an August primary election in the wake of her federal indictment. After 24 years in Congress, Brown’s term ended in January. Al Lawson (D-FL) currently holds the seat Brown once served in.
A sentencing date for Brown has not yet been set.
