From the Freezer to the Cooler

Former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson of Louisiana, who memorably repurposed his freezer to accommodate an illicit stash of $90,000 in cash, was convicted by a federal jury Wednesday and could be looking at 20 years in the slammer.

AP via Google News:

William Jefferson, a Democrat who had represented parts of New Orleans for almost 20 years, was stoic as the verdict was read and had little to say afterward. Asked how he was doing, he said, “I’m holding up.”

Prosecutors contended Jefferson accepted more than $400,000 in bribes and sought millions more in exchange for brokering business deals in Africa. After a two-month trial, jurors took five days to convict him on 11 of 16 counts that also included racketeering and money laundering. He was acquitted on the other five.

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Wikimedia Commons / house.gov