Today, former New Orleans mayor C. Ray Nagin was found guilty of corruption for accepting payoffs on city contracts.
The New York Times reports that the jury found the 57-year-old Nagin, who served as mayor when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, guilty on 20 of 21 counts. The trial lasted for seven days, and over 30 witnesses—including businessmen who admitted to bribing Nagin in exchange for contracts—offered testimony.
Prosecutors referenced several transactions that took place between Nagin and contractors, all of which unfolded in similar fashion: A business owner would discuss potential city work with Nagin, who would request a favor, often monetary, to the granite business the ex-mayor operated with his two sons.
In other instancees, the gifts would come in the form of vacations or free cell phone service for Nagin's family. Prosecutors claim that Nagin received over half-a-million dollars in gifts and, as a result, contractors were granted millions of dollars worth of work for the city.
Nagin said that each payment was an investment into his family's granite business. He argued that the contracts were, for the most part, out of his hands, handed out through public bid or selected by a special committee.
Nagin, who will remain free until sentencing, faces up to 20 years in prison.
[via New York Times]
