The Nebraska congressman was stoic as the judge delivered the verdict, but one of Fortenberry’s daughters stood up and began sobbing uncontrollably, the Associated Press reported.
Once the jury left, Fortenberry walked over to his wife and daughters and embraced them in a hug before returning to his seat next to his lawyer.
The lawmaker argued that FBI agents then used false pretenses to interview him nearly a year later and indicted him when he failed to recall all of the details from the conversation. Lawyers on both sides of the trial focused their closing arguments on a phone call with Dr. Elias Ayoub, who hosted the fundraiser for Fortenberry at his Los Angeles home in 2016.
Chagoury admitted in 2019 to funneling $180,000 in illegal U.S. campaign contributions to four campaigns.The doctor said the money had been provided by an associate of theirs and probably came from Gilbert Chagoury – a billionaire living in Paris. Chagoury admitted in 2019 to funneling $180,000 in illegal U.S. campaign contributions to four campaigns and paid a $1.8 million fine.