Rep. Corrine Brown indicted in connection with sham charity

Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., and her chief of staff were indicted Friday over their role in a sham charity.

Brown, who has served in Congress since 1993, and her chief of staff, Elias “Ronnie” Simmons, 50, of Laurel, Maryland, were charged as part of a 24-count indictment. The charges involve participating in a conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, multiple counts of mail and wire fraud, concealing material facts on required financial disclosure forms, theft of government property, obstruction of the due administration of the internal revenue laws, and filing false tax returns.