Jeff Fortenberry was found guilty of three felony counts of lying to the FBI about a 2016 foreign campaign contribution by a federal jury in Los Angeles.
The nine-term Republican congressman from Nebraska was found guilty of conspiring to falsify and hide material facts, as well as two counts of lying to federal investigators.
The indictment’s three felony accusations each carry a maximum punishment of five years in federal prison. The date of sentencing has been set for June 28.
Prosecutors allege that while FBI investigators questioned Fortenberry about an illegal $30,000 foreign contribution to his 2016 re-election campaign, he hid information from them.
During his federal trial, Fortenberry never testified, but his defense claimed the Congressman was unaware he had been alerted in a phone call in 2018 that he had received an unlawful foreign contribution.
Fortenberry’s weak cell connection at his Lincoln home, as well as the Congressman’s proclivity to multi-task during fundraising calls, were cited by the defense.
