Jeff Fortenberry, US congressman from Nebraska, has resigned
from office after being found guilty by a California jury of lying about an
illegal campaign donation from a foreign national.
It is illegal in the US for foreign nationals to make
contributions to campaigns.
Fortenberry was convicted in October of lying to FBI agents
on two occasions about his knowledge of an illegal $30,000 contribution to his
2016 re-election campaign from Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian billionaire of
Lebanese descent.
Chagoury is a Paris-based industrialist and was reportedly
once a top advisor to Sani Abacha, former Nigerian military ruler.
During the trial, prosecutors were said to have presented
recorded phone conversations in which Fortenberry was warned repeatedly that
the contributions came from Chagoury.
Officials reportedly said one of Chagoury’s associates gave
$30,000 to “an individual at a restaurant in Los Angeles, who, along with
others, later made campaign contributions” to Fortenberry’s re-election
campaign.
In a letter on Saturday, Fortenberry said he was resigning
from congress effective March 31.
“It has been my honor
to serve with you in the United States House of Representatives,” he wrote.
“Due to the difficulties of my current circumstances, I can
no longer effectively serve.”
Fortenberry’s announcement followed pressure from political
leaders in Nebraska and Washington for him to resign.
He is set to be sentenced on June 28 with each count
carrying up to five years of federal prison time.
The rep has, however, said he would appeal against the
conviction.
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