Democratic congresswoman charged with fraud, theft of government funds

U.S. Rep Corrine Brown has been indicted after an investigation into a fraudulent charity.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

published 8 July 2016

On Friday, Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) was charged with multiple counts of fraud, theft of government funds, and conspiracy, among other charges, following a federal investigation into her connection to a fraudulent education charity. The charity, One Door for Education Foundation Inc., was said to offer scholarships to underprivileged students, but investigators found that it had only given out $1,000 in scholarship money and was instead funneling funds to Brown and "her associates," The Associated Press reported.

The foundation solicited an estimated $800,000 over four years. Brown's chief of staff, Elias Simmons, was also indicted. Earlier this year, the foundation's president, Carla Wiley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.