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Jefferson Case Raises Questions About Scrutiny of U.S. Politicians
By Brian Orsak
printThe indictment of U.S. Representative William Jefferson on corruption and money laundering charges raises questions about whether financial institutions are doing enough to monitor the transactions of politically tied clients within the country. Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat, pleaded not guilty today to federal charges that he solicited more than $400,000 in bribes to advance business dealings between U.S. companies and Nigerian officials. The 16-count indictment follows a nearly two-year investigation by a federal grand jury in the eastern district of Virginia. The case points to a need for financial institutions to scrutinize more closely the accounts of domestic politicians and...
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Follow the headlines and you'll find an all too common story: the political winds shift, a leader is deposed and a fortune in dirty money is uncovered in a warren of offshore accounts. But why did no one stop the plundering sooner?
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