Former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown has been found guilty of taking money from a charity that was purported to be giving scholarships to poor students. The jury's verdict on Thursday came after prosecutors accused the 70-year-old Brown of using hundreds of thousands of dollars from the One Door for Education Foundation for lavish parties, trips and shopping excursions. She was found guilty on 18 of the 22 counts against her, including lying on tax and financial disclosure forms. Prosecutors argued that Brown, a Democrat who represented parts of Central Florida since 1993, funneled money from One Door for Education into her personal accounts. Brown’s lawyers argued that her former chief of staff Elias “Ronnie” Simmons was the person responsible. One of her lawyers promised a battery of legal actions, beginning with a motion for a new trial. "With regard to there (possibly) being a new trial, I will tell you just like any client, what you do is you sit down and you evaluate the evidence. Then you try to take advantage of all of the motions available," said James Smith, "So I'm not going to be laying out the motion for you now, just saying that we will be filing one." Simmons pleaded guilty after their federal indictments for misusing the charity's funds, and testified against Brown. Closing arguments in the case were made last Friday. The judge on Wednesday excused a juror who made comments about Brown and "higher beings." That juror was replaced by an alternate, and the jury had to start its deliberations over again Wednesday morning.

Former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown has been found guilty of taking money from a charity that was purported to be giving scholarships to poor students.

The jury's verdict on Thursday came after prosecutors accused the 70-year-old Brown of using hundreds of thousands of dollars from the One Door for Education Foundation for lavish parties, trips and shopping excursions.


She was found guilty on 18 of the 22 counts against her, including lying on tax and financial disclosure forms.

Prosecutors argued that Brown, a Democrat who represented parts of Central Florida since 1993, funneled money from One Door for Education into her personal accounts.

Brown’s lawyers argued that her former chief of staff Elias “Ronnie” Simmons was the person responsible.

One of her lawyers promised a battery of legal actions, beginning with a motion for a new trial.



"With regard to there (possibly) being a new trial, I will tell you just like any client, what you do is you sit down and you evaluate the evidence. Then you try to take advantage of all of the motions available," said James Smith, "So I'm not going to be laying out the motion for you now, just saying that we will be filing one."

Simmons pleaded guilty after their federal indictments for misusing the charity's funds, and testified against Brown.

Closing arguments in the case were made last Friday.

The judge on Wednesday excused a juror who made comments about Brown and "higher beings." That juror was replaced by an alternate, and the jury had to start its deliberations over again Wednesday morning.