New Orleans ex-mayor jailed for a decade
Crimes included accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, money laundering and other corruption offences.
Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his conviction on bribery, money laundering and other corruption offences.
Prosecutors said the actions for which he was convicted spanned his two terms as mayor, including before and after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005.
Citing Nagin’s devotion to his family and commitment to helping New Orleans,US District Judge Helen Berrigan said on Wednesday that a shorter sentence than recommended under federal guidelines was warranted.
Nagin was convicted on February 12 of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from businessmen who wanted work from the city or Nagin’s support for various projects.
The bribes came in the form of money, free holidays and truckloads of free granite for his family business.
Prosecutors said the combined value of the bribes accepted by Nagin, which included personal parties, private jet rides and first-class airfares for a family shopping trip to New York, totalled more than $500,000.
The charges he was convicted of include wire fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion.
The 58-year-old Democrat had defiantly denied any wrongdoing after his 2013 charges and during his February trial.