The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has refiled charges against former U.S. congressman Jeffrey Fortenberry, alleging he falsified and concealed campaign donations from Nigerian-Lebanese businessman Gilbert Chagoury, a close associate of Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The refiled indictment comes after a previous case in California was dismissed due to an inappropriate venue, leading to fresh charges in Washington, D.C., in April.
Fortenberry is accused of violating U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulations, which prohibit federal office seekers from accepting foreign donations and require the disclosure of donors’ names and addresses for contributions exceeding $50.
Additionally, the FEC forbids conduit contributions to prevent individuals from donating in another’s name.
The FBI alleges that Fortenberry accepted $30,000 from Chagoury through an informant at a 2016 fundraiser in Los Angeles and failed to disclose the contribution in federal filings.
When contacted by the FBI informant in 2018, Fortenberry was informed multiple times about the illegal source of the funds but did not amend his reports or disclose the illicit donations.
During a 2019 interview with federal investigators, Fortenberry denied knowledge of the contributions and claimed he would have been “horrified” to learn of their illegality, despite being told otherwise in 2018.
The charges against Fortenberry focus on his false statements to federal agents rather than the initial acceptance of the money.
He resigned from the House of Representatives in March 2022 following the initial charges. Fortenberry has since hired legal representation to contest the charges. A spokesman for Chagoury declined to comment on the matter.
The former congressman, in March 2019, according to the indictment, “made false and misleading statements after being advised it was a crime to lie to the federal government” when he was asked for a clarification on donations and donors from the 2016 fundraiser.
Mr Fortenberry has already hired lawyers to fight the charges on his behalf. He resigned from the House of Representatives in March 2022 after he was initially charged in California.
Peoples Gazette
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