Congressman Accused of Violating FCPA Loses Reelection Bid

Representative William J. Jefferson (D-LA), the first U.S. public official be indicted for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act lost his bid for reelection to Congress on Saturday to Republican Anh "Joseph" Cao, a New Orleans attorney. Cao will be the first Vietnamese-American elected to Congress.

Jefferson was indicted in June 2007 on charges including bribery and racketeering for allegedly using his office to corruptly solicit bribes and for paying bribes to a foreign official. The indictment alleges that Jefferson violated the FCPA by allegedly offering, promising and making payments to a foreign official located in the U.S. to advance his family's business endeavors involving NITEL, the government-controlled telecommunications service provider in Nigeria.

Jefferson's trial has been delayed pending the outcome of an appeal pending in the Fourth Circuit relating to non-FCPA aspects of this case.