PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Federal prosecutors have told a jury that a U.S. congressman from Pennsylvania took an illegal $1 million loan to prop up an ailing mayoral bid and used $200,000 on Election Day alone.
Chaka Fattah Sr. nonetheless lost the 2007 race for Philadelphia mayor.
Prosecutors said in opening statements at his corruption trial Monday that he was soon under pressure to pay back the loan to former Sallie Mae chief executive officer Al Lord.
So they say he returned the $400,000 left over and steered charitable grants and federal funds to Lord to repay the other $600,000.
The campaign loan is just one of five alleged schemes that prosecutors outlined in opening statements.
Fattah insists the FBI has conducted a witch hunt into his two-decade career in Washington.
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(Photo Source: AP)
