Mixed FCPA Verdict (It Would Seem) in Former Congressman Jefferson Trial

You may have forgotten his name, but you likely have not forgotten the headline grabbing "cash in the freezer" allegations against former Congressman William Jefferson (Louisiana), the first member of Congress ever charged with FCPA violations.

This week, a federal jury delivered a split-verdict on the FCPA charges - or so it would seem (see below).

While Jefferson was found guilty of a variety of other charges (solicitation of bribes, honest services wire fraud, money laundering, racketeering, and conspiracy)(see here for the DOJ release), he was acquitted on the substantive FCPA antibribery charge. That charge, according to the indictment (see here), was principally based on allegations that Jefferson attempted to bribe Nigerian officials (including the former Nigerian Vice President) to assist himself and others obtain or retain business for a Nigerian telecommunications joint venture. The famous "cash in the freezer" was allegedly part of the bribery scheme.

However, the jury did convict Jefferson on a conspiracy count that the indictment charged as conspiracy to solicit bribes, to commit honest services wire fraud, and to violate the FCPA. As reported by Jefferson's home-state newspaper, the Times-Picayune (see here), "the law only require[d][that] the jury find [Jefferson] guilty on two out of three of those counts -- solicit bribes, deprive honest services and violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act-- and in announcing the verdict, the deputy clerk did not specify which counts the jury agreed on. It may or may not have included conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act."

Perhaps the FCPA portion of the Jefferson verdict will become more clear in the days to come.