Florida congresswoman pleads not guilty to fraud charges

[AURaptor 1,137]

This is gonna be fun to watch...

 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown of Florida and her chief of staff pleaded not guilty Friday to multiple fraud charges and other federal offenses in a grand jury indictment unsealed after an investigation into what prosecutors call a phony charity turned into a personal slush fund.

Brown, a 69-year-old Democrat, and Chief of Staff Elias "Ronnie" Simmons, 50, entered pleas in Jacksonville federal court on charges of mail and wire fraud, conspiracy, obstruction and filing of false tax returns.

She faces a maximum of 357 years in prison and nearly $5 million in fines if she is convicted on all charges, CBS affiliate WJAX reported. Simmons faces a maximum of 355 years in prison and nearly $5 million in fines if he is convicted.

Brown has represented a Jacksonville-based congressional district since 1993 -- one of the first three African-Americans elected to Congress from Florida since Reconstruction -- and is seeking re-election in a newly redrawn district.

The 24-count indictment comes after an investigation into the purported charity One Door for Education Foundation Inc., which federal prosecutors say was billed as a way to give scholarships to poor students but instead filled the coffers of Brown and her associates.

[TheBlueVue 177]

11 hours ago, AURaptor said:

This is gonna be fun to watch...

 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown of Florida and her chief of staff pleaded not guilty Friday to multiple fraud charges and other federal offenses in a grand jury indictment unsealed after an investigation into what prosecutors call a phony charity turned into a personal slush fund.

Brown, a 69-year-old Democrat, and Chief of Staff Elias "Ronnie" Simmons, 50, entered pleas in Jacksonville federal court on charges of mail and wire fraud, conspiracy, obstruction and filing of false tax returns.

She faces a maximum of 357 years in prison and nearly $5 million in fines if she is convicted on all charges, CBS affiliate WJAX reported. Simmons faces a maximum of 355 years in prison and nearly $5 million in fines if he is convicted.

Brown has represented a Jacksonville-based congressional district since 1993 -- one of the first three African-Americans elected to Congress from Florida since Reconstruction -- and is seeking re-election in a newly redrawn district.

The 24-count indictment comes after an investigation into the purported charity One Door for Education Foundation Inc., which federal prosecutors say was billed as a way to give scholarships to poor students but instead filled the coffers of Brown and her associates.

Isn't this the woman who stood up on the floor of Congress after UF won a national championship in football and famously said..."Go gatas"? What a maroon!

[AURaptor 1,137]