Ex Congressman William Jefferson Jailed For 13 Years

WILLIAM JEFFERSON AND WIFE, ANDREA. Photo: Reuters

Los Angeles (THEWILL) - Former Congressman William Jefferson, 62, was friday sentenced to 13 years in prison, the longest incarceration ever for a former Member of Congress.

In August 2009, Jefferson was found guilty of 11 corruption charges including wire fraud, bribery and money laundering. The charges came from his involvement with iGate, a telecommunications company.  

He was video taped by the United States FBI in June 2005 receiving marked $100, 000 dollars in a briefcase in a Virginia hotel from a business woman, Lori Mody who was wired by the FBI. Jefferson said the bribe was for former Nigerian Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as he had to give him (Atiku) a total of $500, 000 “as a motivating factor” to ensure they got contracts for iGate and Lori’s company in Nigeria.

On August 3, the FBI raided the ex congressman’s office and found $90, 000 dollars of the same marked money wrapped in a foil in his freezer.

Nigeria’s former vice presidents’ name came up again during cross examination in the trial. A former director of Nigeria Digital Television, NDTV, Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu whose company had paid iGate $6.5 million dollars for a contract, admitted the funds came from a Nigeria Petroleum Trust Fund account which was supervised by Atiku Abubakar when he was vice president. The former vice president had apparently given a go-ahead before the payments were made.

Bill Jefferson, a member of the Democratic Party represented the New Orleans area for 18 years in congress.

He will serve his sentence in a federal prison.