Story highlights Sentencing set for January 6

Bob McDonnell and his wife convicted on multiple counts, cleared on others

The McDonnells sob in court as the verdict is read

Virginia's former first couple was accused of influence peddling

A former rising star in the Republican Party, former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell was red-faced and sobbing Thursday after a jury convicted him and his wife on multiple counts related to influence-peddling while he was in office.

After more than a month of sometimes soul-baring testimony, the federal jury issued guilty verdicts on 11 counts against McDonnell, while clearing him on two others. His wife, Maureen, was convicted on nine while cleared on four.

The charges involved gifts the couple received from a businessman, including a Rolex watch, a $15,000 check for their daughter's wedding and other items that are legal under Virginia law. Prosecutors had to prove such gifts were accepted with corrupt intent.

Conspiracy, wire fraud, influence peddling

Both McDonnells were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the citizens of Virginia, wire fraud, conspiracy and influence-peddling. Mrs. McDonnell also was convicted on one count of obstruction.

The jury cleared them both of false statement charges, and cleared Mrs. McDonnell on one of the wire fraud counts and two of the influence-peddling counts.

As the guilty verdicts came in, the former first couple wept openly in the Richmond courtroom.

Photos: Politicians in hot water Photos: Politicians in hot water U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah was convicted on federal corruption charges on Tuesday, June 21. The Philadelphia Democrat was tied to a host of campaign finance schemes, according to the Department of Justice. Hide Caption 1 of 12 Photos: Politicians in hot water Former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay $250,000 to a victims' fund in April after a hush-money case revealed he was being accused of sexually abusing young boys as a teacher in Illinois. Hide Caption 2 of 12 Photos: Politicians in hot water Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell arrives at his corruption trial in Richmond, Virginia, in September 2015. A jury convicted McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, derailing the political ambitions of the one-time rising star in the Republican Party. McDonnell, who was sentenced to two years in prison, has asked the Supreme Court to reverse his conviction. The high court heard his challenge in April. Hide Caption 3 of 12 Photos: Politicians in hot water U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, was indicted on corruption charges in April 2015. Federal prosecutors have accused Menendez of using his Senate office to push the business interests of a friend and donor in exchange for gifts. The senator has pleaded not guilty to the charges and vehemently asserts his innocence. Hide Caption 4 of 12 Photos: Politicians in hot water U.S. Rep. Vance McAllister asked for forgiveness from God, his family and his constituents after a newspaper published what it said was surveillance video showing the married Louisiana Republican making out with a female staffer. His term ended in 2015. Hide Caption 5 of 12 Photos: Politicians in hot water Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife, Sandra, arrive at federal court in Washington for sentencing in August 2013. Jackson, a Democrat from Illinois, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for improper use of campaign funds, while his wife got 12 months for filing false tax returns. Hide Caption 6 of 12 Photos: Politicians in hot water In 2012, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted of 18 criminal counts, including trying to sell the appointment to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. Hide Caption 7 of 12 Photos: Politicians in hot water Lewis "Scooter" Libby, former chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, was convicted in 2007 of obstructing a federal investigation into who revealed the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $250,000, but former President George W. Bush commuted his sentence. Hide Caption 8 of 12 Photos: Politicians in hot water Former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2009 after being convicted of 11 counts of corruption related to using his office to solicit bribes. The Louisiana Democrat was also ordered to forfeit $470,000. Hide Caption 9 of 12 Photos: Politicians in hot water Former U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, a Republican from Ohio, was sentenced to 30 months in prison in 2007 after being convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud and making false statements to investigators. Hide Caption 10 of 12 Photos: Politicians in hot water U.S. Rep. James Traficant Jr., D-Ohio, spent seven years in prison after being convicted of bribery and corruption and tax evasion charges in 2002. Hide Caption 11 of 12 Photos: Politicians in hot water Former U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-California, was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2006 after he was convicted of collecting $2.4 million in homes, yachts, antique furnishings and other bribes on a scale unparalleled in the history of Congress. Hide Caption 12 of 12

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Judgment day

McDonnell, whose name came up as a possible running mate for GOP nominee Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election, now faces the likelihood of prison time. Sentencing was set for January 6.

Assistant U.S. Attorney General Leslie Caldwell said the McDonnells "turned public service into a money-making enterprise."

"The former governor was elected to serve the people of Virginia, but his corrupt actions instead betrayed them," Caldwell said. "Today's convictions should send a message that corruption in any form, at any level of government, will not be tolerated."

'Difficult, disappointing day' for Virginia

U.S. Attorney Dana Boente, whose office led the prosecution, called it "a difficult, disappointing day for the Commonwealth."

"When public officials turn to financial gain for official actions, we have little choice but to prosecute the case," he said.

Lawyers for the McDonnells indicated they intend to appeal.

While the charges carry potential sentences of years in prison, legal experts said they don't expect the maximum penalties to be applied. CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said he expected McDonnell to get about a year in prison, while his wife could get probation.

Jury deliberations began Tuesday and lasted more than 17 hours over three days in the case that had all the elements of a soap opera: a broken marriage, alleged influence peddling and courtroom drama.

Broken marriage

Throughout the trial, McDonnell and his wife arrived and left the courthouse separately in a display at the heart of their defense.

The pair pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of fraud, making false statements and obstruction. They were indicted in January after McDonnell left office following the lone term allowed under Virginia law.

Prosecutors alleged the McDonnells accepted gifts with a combined value of more than $140,000 from Jonnie Williams, a nutritional supplement executive, in exchange for promoting his company using the power and the trappings of the governor's office.

The gifts included designer clothes, a Rolex watch, a golf bag, iPhones and a painting, according to the indictment and evidence presented at the trial.

Their defense? The 38-year marriage was so broken that the McDonnells barely spoke to each other, let alone conspired to peddle influence in the way alleged by the government.

During the trial, the prosecution showed the couple communicated by email and vacationed together.

Questionable judgment

McDonnell said he didn't commit any crime, though he acknowledged questionable judgment in accepting what he called the "personal generosity and friendship" of Williams.

Defense lawyers argued that Maureen McDonnell, seeking emotional attachment because of her loveless marriage, developed what they described as a kind of schoolgirl crush on Williams and relished the attention and gifts from him.

The question was whether she or her husband reciprocated by promoting Williams' business in government circles.

Witnesses included some of the family's five grown children, former staff members of the governor and others close to the state's first family.

The McDonnells tried to get their cases separated, but lost that bid.