New York: The National Rifle Association (NRA) and its top officials have been ordered by a jury to pay $6.35 million (£5 million) after being found guilty in a civil corruption trial.
The New York jury found that retired NRA Chief Wayne LaPierre cost the gun rights group millions of dollars through extravagant spending on himself. The NRA and LaPierre were accused by New York Attorney General Letitia James of violating state law. Just before the trial began, Wayne LaPierre resigned from his position.
According to the jury, it cost Mr. LaPierre’s group $5.4 million, more than $1 million of which has already been repaid. Now he must repay $4.35 million. The NRA itself was indicted, along with former NRA finance chief Wilson “Woody” Phillips, general counsel John Frazer.
Phillips was ordered to pay $2 million in restitution. LaPierre, who has been the head of the National Rifle Association for more than 30 years, was in court and showed unsentimental reactions to the ruling. The jury did not order restitution, finding that Mr Frazer had not cost the organisation financially.
The NRA said that, “The verdict confirmed what it contended all along, that it was victimised by certain former vendors and insiders who abused the trust placed in them by the association”. It was remarked that the group should not pay any financial penalties and that the jury found no reason to remove Frazer, the only defendant who is still in service with the NRA.
Gun lobbying group added that it had implemented new policies and accounting controls in recent years. New York Attorney General commented after the trial that, “Mr LaPierre and the NRA were “finally being held accountable for this rampant corruption and self-dealing.” In 2020, when the attorney general filed the lawsuit, she sought to dissolve the NRA outright, but a judge blocked that move.
At trial, the defence lawyers of the accused group aimed to show the actions as a “baseless, premeditated attack” and a politically rousing “witch hunt” by James. Assistant Attorney General Monica Connell argued that the National Rifle Association, a registered charity, should have spent the funds on its primary mission rather than on extravagant expenses.
“Saying you’re sorry now, saying maybe you’ll put back a couple of those cookies doesn’t mean you didn’t take the cookies,” Connell said. During the six-week trial, prosecutors presented evidence that LaPierre and other executives had used NRA funds for personal expenses.
There is evidence that Wayne LaPierre, visited the Bahamas more than eight times on private planes. The funds used for these trips were intended for the NRA. Additionally, he took helicopter trips to avoid traffic while attending car races. The evidence also shows that money was spent on landscaping and anti-mosquito treatments at his home. All of this information has been submitted as proof in court.
Expenses such as gifts to friends and family and Lapierre’s wife’s hair and make-up styling were also accounted for. The judge must now decide, without a jury, whether independent monitors and specialists will lead the NRA’s charitable assets and administration.
Trending | Civil trial against NRA & its top officials begins with deliberations
