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Politics

Ex Florida Congresswoman Corrine Brown Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Fraud

December 4, 2017 - 2:45pm
Corrine Brown
Corrine Brown

Corrine Brown, a former Florida congresswoman from Jacksonville, was sentenced to five years in prison for fraud and other charges related to a fake charity she used to put money in her own pocket while serving in Washington.

A federal judge sentenced Brown, 71, to five years in prison and she was ordered to turn herself in to federal authorities no later than Jan. 8. 

First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1993, Brown, a Democrat, served the Jacksonville area until 2017. 

Brown was indicted on federal corruption charges in 2016 for stealing money from a fake charity organization, One Door For Education, which was created to give scholarships to poor children but instead was used as Brown and her friends’ personal slush fund. 

Brown’s chief of staff Ronnie Simmons was also involved in the case and pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy and corruption felonies: conspiracy to commit fraud and theft of government funds. 

Simmons testified against Brown as part of the plea deal. Brown, on the other hand, said she had no idea what was going on with the fake charity’s money and instead shifted the blame on to Simmons.

One Door president Carla Wiley also pleaded guilty to charges. Federal prosecutors said there weren’t many scholarships doled out by the organization — instead, they said Wiley transferred thousands of dollars to herself for her own personal use. 

Prosecutors said only one scholarship — for $1,200 — was given out from 2012 to 2016, with the other $800,000 going to Brown, Wiley and Simmons. 

Wiley pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

Brown maintained throughout the legal proceedings her innocence, but the backlash over her indictment had catastrophic effects on her career. She ran for reelection last November but lost to Al Lawson, who now sits in her seat in Washington, D.C. 

“This is a sad day for everyone,” U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan told Brown after sentencing, according to the Florida Times-Union. “I was impressed with all the outpouring of support for you, and I think it’s a tribute to all the work you’ve done over the years. That’s what makes this all the more tragic.”

According to the Times Union, Corrigan said both Brown and Simmons were responsible for an equal of the blame in the case. Wiley, Corrigan said, shared the least amount.

“This was a crime born out of entitlement and greed committed to ensure a lifestyle that was beyond their means,” Corrigan said. “Just think of the good that could have been done with that money if it would have been used for its intended purpose.”

The prison Brown is scheduled to report to is currently unidentified, but Brown will be walking free until Jan. 8. Her attorney, James Smith, said he intends to appeal the sentence and instead wanted the judge to offer her probation.

 

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.

 

Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen


READ MORE FROM SUNSHINE STATE NEWS
 
 

Comments

Nice....very nice. Let's see how LGBT friendly you REALLY are sista girl.

It is my hope that this will "somewhat" deter those with larcenist's hearts to STAY AWAY from Politics. Very few realize that SWAMPS of POLITICS is so large - at ALL levels. Enjoy your prison stay, Corrine...

"God is great !"...(and apparently he Does smite lowlife criminals !) HALLELUJAH !

Bye Bye Corrinie.....you got plenty of your X Politian Friends there in Prison.....Even though you should got ALOT more years.....stealing from Kids Education that you BIGOTS scream are getting Worst ED than White Kids.....Ha...Now One of Your own was stealing from your Kids Education all along.....Ha...Now who's Racist...........

Good riddance to bad rubbish. She'll join the "Cocaine Congressman Trey Radel, (R), Pedophile Rep. Mark Foley, (R), disgraced con-man State Rep. Dwayne Taylor, (D), and thieving State Rep. Reggie Fullwood, (D), as a list of bipartisan criminals having to pay for their crimes. Florida should be tired of these darn crooks.

The inevitable conclusion when you give people like her a pen, an office and a little power. Papa Doc and Baby Doc come to mind. Idi Amin comes to mind. Robert Mugabe comes to mind. Kilwannabee Kilpatrick. Marion Barry. Bobby Menendez - who may not have yet escaped the noose. Corrine came to power because Republicans gerrymandered a black district that looked like an upside down, backassward, melted fish hook that went from black town to black town over hundreds of miles. She could not have found most of them on a map. But everyone in political power was happy. She should have received 25 lashes and 25 years. All of them should.

She needs to be taken from the Courthouse and straight to Prison. She was found guilty, held up sentencing until today now wants to wait until January 8th 2018 to report to Prison. No, drag her to prison kicking and fighting on camera for all Florida to see.

If the crime was done in your name and you benefited from it.......Guilty.

a light sentence.....

Couldn't have happened to a more deserving criminal, and was looong overdue ! Corrine looong "fiddled" while the Veterans Administration "burned" (Jeff Miller and his whole "Congressional Veterans Caucus" members ALSO "need their wrists slapped"...at the very least !

It's about time and she is just the tip of the iceberg down there... believe me there are more racketeers still conducting business where Florida begins.....

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