JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (970 WFLA) - The first African-American elected to Congress in Florida since Reconstruction has been convicted of federal fraud charges.
Former Rep. Corrine Brown, (D) Jacksonville, was found guilty of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from a charity that was supposed to be giving money to poor kids.
Prosecutors argued that the One Door for Education Foundation was actually a fake charity designed to transfer money to Brown.
Her chief of staff, Elias Simmons, testifed against her after pleading guilty to federal fraud charges. Simmons said he was ordered by Brown dozens of times to withdraw the maximum $800 out of ATM machines and deposit the money into her account.
Prosecutors said between 2012 and 2016, the charity raised $800,000, but only handed out one scholarship for $1,200.
Brown was first elected to Congress 25 years ago in a district created following a Civil Rights lawsuit. The district was shaped like a snake. It incorporated pockets of Jacksonville and Orlando, cities that are more than 150 miles apart.
The Florida Supreme Court declared Florida's congressional map unconstitutional, and Brown was defeated in 2016 in a primary for the redrawn district.
Brown's attorney said he wants a new trial.
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