Lawmaker guilty in campaign-money case

Fortenberry convicted of lying to FBI about donation from Nigerian billionaire

LOS ANGELES — U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska was convicted on charges that he lied to federal authorities about an illegal $30,000 contri- bution to his campaign from a foreign billionaire at a 2016 Los Angeles fundraiser.

A federal jury in Los Angeles deliberated for about two hours Thursday before finding the nine-term Republican guilty of concealing information and of two counts of making false statements to authorities. Fortenberry was charged after denying to the FBI that he was aware he had received illicit funds from Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian billionaire of Lebanese descent.

Outside the courthouse, Fortenberry said the process had been unfair and that he would appeal immediately. He would not comment on whether he would suspend his campaign for reelection, saying he was going to spend time with his family.

“I’m getting so many beautiful messages from people literally all around the world, who’ve been praying for us and pulling for us,” he said.

The judge set sentencing for June 28. Each count carries a potential five-year prison sentence and fines.

Fortenberry, 61, did not testify but his lawyers argued at trial that he wasn’t aware of the contribution and that agents directed an informant to feed him the information in a 10-minute call to set him up.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mack Jenkins said there was ample recorded evidence in the case and the jury’s swift verdict vindicated the prosecution’s efforts.

“Our view is that it was a simple story,” Jenkins said. “A politician caught up in the cycle of money and power. And like I said, he lost his way.”

Celeste Fortenberry, the lawmaker’s wife, was the final witness in the case and testified that her husband didn’t even remember the day they met. She said he loathed making fundraising calls and was often on “autopilot” when he conducted them.

Lawyers on both sides of the trial focused their closing arguments on one such call with Dr. Elias Ayoub, who held the fundraiser for Fortenberry at his Los Angeles home in 2016.

Ayoub, who was cooperating with the FBI, told Fortenberry during the secretly recorded call in June 2018 that he distributed $30,000 to friends and relatives who attended the fundraiser so they could write checks to Fortenberry’s campaign.

The doctor said the money had been provided by an associate of theirs and probably came from Chagoury, who lives in Paris. Chagoury admitted in 2019 to funneling $180,000 in illegal campaign contributions to four campaigns and agreed to pay a $1.8 million fine.

The three men in the alleged scheme to funnel the money to Fortenberry were all of Lebanese descent and had ties to In Defense of Christians, a nonprofit Fortenberry supported that was devoted to fighting religious persecution in the Middle East.

Patty Pansing Brooks, a former legislator who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the congressional seat, thanked the jury and offered “thoughts and prayers” for Fortenberry and his family.

“It’s time for Nebraska to elect new leadership. I will serve with integrity and fight for all Nebraskans,” she said in a statement.