Another fine upstanding congressman from just outside philly, I bet he and obama are good friends

Feds Indict Pennsylvania US Rep. Fattah in Racketeering Case

Longtime Congressman Chaka Fattah was indicted. (Published Thursday, July 30, 2015)
Updated  Jul 30, 2015

A longtime Philadelphia congressman who was indicted Wednesday paid off a campaign loan with charitable donations and federal grants, funneled campaign money to pay down his son's student loan debt and disguised a lobbyist's bribe as payment for a car he never sold, federal prosecutors said.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah and four associates were charged with racketeering conspiracy stemming from an investigation dating back to 2013. They also were charged with bribery, conspiracy to commit wire, honest services, bank and mail fraud, and money laundering, among other things.

Prosecutors say the charges covered several schemes. They allege Fattah used federal grants and donations to his educational foundation to pay back part of a wealthy campaign supporter's $1 million loan and that he helped arrange a $15 million federal grant for a nonexistent nonprofit in lieu of a $130,000 payment to a political consultant after his failed 2007 mayoral run.
"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 types of criminal acts betray the public trust and undermine faith in government."

 

       

Congressman Chaka Fattah is the big name on the indictment released yesterday, but he's not the only one. NBC10 investigative reporter Harry Hairston has been looking into the other players charged. (Published Thursday, July 30, 2015)
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