List of United States state officials convicted of federal corruption offenses

This is a list of notable U.S. state officials convicted of only certain federal public corruption offenses for conduct while in office. The list is organized by office. Acquitted officials are not listed (if an official was acquitted on some counts, and convicted on others, the counts of conviction are listed). Officials convicted of state crimes are not listed.

For a more complete list see: List of American state and local politicians convicted of crimes.

The criminal statute(s) under which the conviction(s) were obtained are noted, as are the names of notable investigations or scandals, if applicable. If a defendant is convicted of a conspiracy to commit a corruption offense, the substantive offense is listed.

Criminal convictions such as making false statements, perjury, obstruction of justice, electoral fraud, and campaign finance regulations, tax evasion, and money laundering even if related, are not included in this list.

Certain details, including post-conviction relief, if applicable, are included in footnotes. For example, several officials obtained post-conviction relief after the Supreme Court's decisions narrowing the mail fraud statute in McNally v. United States (1987) and Skilling v. United States (2010) and narrowing the Hobbs Act in McCormick v. United States (1991).

The Hobbs Act (enacted 1934),18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), (b)(2). the mail and wire fraud statutes (enacted 1872), including the honest services fraud provision,18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, 1346. the Travel Act (enacted 1961),18 U.S.C. § 1952. the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) (enacted 1970),18 U.S.C. § 1961(1). and the federal program bribery statute, 18 U.S.C. § 666 (enacted 1984),18 U.S.C. § 666. permit the prosecution of such officials. These statutes are also applicable to corrupt federal officials.Peter W. Schroth, Corruption and Accountability of the Civil Service in the United States, 42 554 (2006). In addition, federal officials are subject to the federal bribery, graft, and conflict-of-interest crimes contained in Title 18, Chapter 11 of the United States Code, 18 U.S.C. §§ 201–227, which do not apply to state and local officials.

Governors

GovernorOfficeCrime(s)InvestigationNotesGovernor of IllinoisHobbs Act and mail fraudOperation Board GamesGov. Blagojevich has filed a notice of appeal. Blagojevich Appeals Conviction, 14-year Sentence, CNN, Dec. 21, 2011.Governor of TennesseeUnited States v. Blanton, 719 F.2d 815 (6th Cir. 1983) (en banc).Governor of LouisianaHobbs Act, mail fraud, and RICOUnited States v. Edwards, 303 F.3d 606 (5th Cir. 2002). Edwards's § 2255 motion was denied. United States v. Edwards, 442 F.3d 258 (5th Cir. 2006).Governor of OklahomaHobbs Act and Travel ActUnited States v. Hall, 536 F.2d 313 (10th Cir. 1976).Governor of IllinoisMail fraud and Travel ActThe Seventh Circuit reversed Gov. Kerner's Travel Act convictions. United States v. Isaacs, 493 F.2d 1124 (7th Cir. 1974) (per curiam).Governor of North DakotaConspiracy to defraud the United StatesThe Eighth Circuit reversed Langer's conviction. Langer v. United States, 76 F.2d 817 (8th Cir. 1935).Governor of LouisianaMail fraudLeche v. United States, 118 F.2d 246 (5th Cir. 1941). President Truman pardoned Leche.Governor of West VirginiaHobbs Act and mail fraudThe Fourth Circuit rejected Gov. Moore's attempt to withdraw his guilty plea. United States v. Moore, 931 F.2d 245 (4th Cir. 1991).Governor of ConnecticutMail fraudRowland pleaded guilty. John O'Neil & Avi Salzman, Ex-Governor of Connecticut Pleads Guilty to Corruption, , Dec. 23, 2004.Governor of IllinoisMail fraud and RICOOperation Safe RoadsRyan v. United States, No. 10-3964, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 16255 (7th Cir. Aug. 6, 2012).Governor of AlabamaMail fraud and program briberyThe Eleventh Circuit vacated some of Siegelman's mail fraud convictions in light of the Supreme Court's subsequent decision in Skilling v. United States, 130 S. Ct. 2896 (2010). United States v. Siegelman, 640 F.3d 1159 (11th Cir. 2011) (per curiam), cert. denied, 132 S. Ct. 2711 (2012).

Cabinet members

Cabinet memberOfficeCrime(s)InvestigationNotesBurkhardt pleaded guilty. Results of 3-Year Effort in New Jersey: 35 Public Officials Convicted, 25 Awaiting Trial, , Jan. 10, 1973.Mail fraud and RICOUnited States v. Dwyer, 855 F.2d 144 (3d Cir. 1988) (per curiam).Hobbs Act and RICOUnited States v. Dozier, 672 F.2d 531 (5th Cir. 1982).Hobbs ActUnited States v. Hyde, 448 F.2d 815 (5th Cir. 1971).United States v. Grabiec, 563 F.2d 313 (7th Cir. 1977).New Jersey State TreasurerKervick pleaded guilty. John Kervick, Convicted Jersey Aide, , July 12, 1974.Mail fraudMorales pleaded guilty. Steve Barnes, Prison for Ex Official, , Nov. 1, 2003.North Carolina Commissioner of AgricultureHobbs ActPhipps pleaded guilty. Ariel Hart, Ex-Commissioner Pleads Guilty, , Nov. 11, 2003.Mail fraudPreate pleaded guilty. United States v. Preate, 927 F. Supp. 163 (M.D. Pa. 1996).Hobbs ActResults of 3-Year Effort in New Jersey: 35 Public Officials Convicted, 25 Awaiting Trial, , Jan. 10, 1973.RICOSilvester pleaded guilty. Treasurer's Downfall in Kickback Scheme Shakes Connecticut Political Establishment, , Oct. 25, 1999.New Mexico State TreasurerHobbs Act United States v. Vigil, 523 F.3d 1258 (10th Cir. 2008).

Legislators

State legislatorOfficeCrime(s)InvestigationNotesAlaska state representativeHobbs ActAlaska political corruption probe, at 43.RICOUnited States v. Bagnariol, 665 F.2d 877 (9th Cir. 1981).South Carolina state representativeHobbs ActOperation Lost TrustUnited States v. Bailey, 990 F.2d 119 (4th Cir. 1993).Louisiana state senatorTravel ActUnited States v. Bankston, 182 F.3d 296 (5th Cir. 1999). The Supreme Court vacated the mail fraud convictions of Bankston's co-defendants on appeal (an offense with which Bankston was not charged). Goodson v. United States, 531 U.S. 987 (2000); Cleveland v. United States, 531 U.S. 12 (2000).Program briberyBlack pleaded guilty. See United States v. Black, 490 F. Supp. 2d 630 (E.D.N.C. 2007).Hobbs Act and RICOOperation BoptrotUnited States v. Blandford, 33 F.3d 685 (6th Cir. 1994).Tennessee state senatorProgram briberyOperation Tennessee WaltzWoody Baird, Tenn. lawmaker pleads guilty to bribery, , July 16, 2007.Maryland state senatorRICOBromwell pleaded guilty. Dan Morse, Contrite Bromwell Sentenced to 7 Years, , Nov. 17, 2007.Kentucky state representativeHobbs ActOperation BoptrotBronger pleaded guilty. , at 29.New Jersey state senatorMail fraud and program briberyUnited States v. Bryant, 655 F.3d 232 (3d Cir. 2011).Mississippi state senatorConspiracy to defraud the United StatesUnited States v. Burgin, 621 F.2d 1352 (6th Cir. 1980).Tennessee House majority leaderMail fraudOperation Rocky TopUnited States v. Hurst, 951 F.2d 1490 (6th Cir. 1991).Illinois state representativeFollowing the jury's verdict of guilty, the trial judge granted Capuzi's motion for an acquittal. United States v. Craig, 573 F.2d 455 (7th Cir. 1977).California state senatorHobbs Act and RICOBRISPEC sting operationThe Ninth Circuit reversed Carpenter's convictions in light of the Supreme Court's subsequent decision in McCormick v. United States, 500 U.S. 257 (1991). United States v. Carpenter, 961 F.2d 824 (9th Cir. 1992). Carpenter was convicted of mail fraud in his second trial in 1993. Greg Lucas, Paul Carpenter – former state senator jailed for corruption, , Jan. 25, 2002.Illinois state senatorMail fraudCarpentier pleaded guilty. United States v. Craig, 573 F.2d 455 (7th Cir. 1977).Rhode Island state senatorCelona pleaded guilty. , at 43.Pennsylvania state senatorMail fraud and RICOHenry J. Cianfrani, 79, Fixture In South Philadelphia Politics, , July 4, 2002.New Jersey state senatorHobbs Act and mail fraudThe Third Circuit vacated Coniglio's mail fraud conviction in light of the Supreme Court's subsequent decision in Skilling v. United States, 130 S. Ct. 2896 (2010). United States v. Coniglio, 417 F. App'x 146 (3d Cir. 2011).Illinois state senatorMail fraudUnited States v. Craig, 573 F.2d 455 (7th Cir. 1977).Illinois state representativeMail fraud and Travel ActUnited States v. Craig, 573 F.2d 455 (7th Cir. 1977). Craig's petition for coram nobis in light of the Supreme Court's subsequent decision in McNally v. United States, 483 U.S. 350 (1987), was denied. United States v. Craig, 907 F.2d 653 (7th Cir. 1990).Alaska state senatorProgram briberyAlaska political corruption probeCrowdery pleaded guilty. , at 42.Kentucky state representativeTravel ActOperation BoptrotCrupper pleaded guilty., at 26–27.Tennessee state senatorProgram briberyOperation Tennessee WaltzCrutchfield pleaded guilty. Woody Baird, Tenn. lawmaker pleads guilty to bribery, , July 12, 2007.Illinois state senatorHobbs ActOperation GambatUnited States v. D'Arco, No. 90 CR 1043, 1992 WL 121603 (N.D. Ill. May 18, 1992).Alabama state representativeUnited States v. Davis, 967 F.2d 516 (11th Cir. 1992).North Carolina state representativeHobbs Act and mail fraudDecker pleaded guilty. Don Carrington, Decker Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy, , Aug. 2, 2006.South Carolina state representativeHobbs ActOperation Lost TrustUnited States v. Derrick, 778 F. Supp. 260 (D.S.C. 1991). Derrick's first conviction was reversed in light of the Supreme Court's subsequent decision in McCormick v. United States, 500 U.S. 257 (1991). United States v. Derrick, 16 F.3d 412 (4th Cir. 1994). The next indictment against Derrick was dismissed with prejudice by the district court due to prosecutorial misconduct. United States v. Taylor, 956 F. Supp. 622 (D.S.C. 1997). The Fourth Circuit reversed and reinstated the indictment. United States v. Derrick, 163 F.3d 799 (4th Cir. 1998). At his second trial, Derrick was convicted again. , at 32.Massachusetts state senatorHobbs Act and Travel ActMBM investigationUnited States v. DiCarlo, 565 F.2d 802 (1st Cir. 1977).Hobbs Act and mail fraudUnited States v. DiMasi, 817 F. Supp. 2d 9 (D. Mass. 2011). DiMasi's appeal to the First Circuit is pending.Tennessee state senatorHobbs Act and program briberyOperation Tennessee WaltzJohn Branston, Roscoe Dixon Guilty on All Counts, , June 9, 2006.South Carolina state representativeHobbs ActOperation Lost TrustFant pleaded guilty. See United States v. Taylor, 956 F. Supp. 622 (D.S.C. 1997).United States v. Ferguson, No. 92-5571, No. 92-5587, 1993 U.S. App. LEXIS 22373 (4th Cir. Sept. 1, 1993) (per curiam). Connecticut state representativeProgram briberyThe Second Circuit reversed Foley's conviction. United States v. Foley, 73 F.3d 484 (2d Cir. 1996), abrogated in part by Salinas v. United States, 522 U.S. 52 (1997).Tennessee state senatorWire fraud and program briberyOperation Tennessee WaltzUnited States v. Ford, 344 F. App'x 167 (6th Cir. 2009) (per curiam). The Sixth Circuit vacated Ford's wire fraud conviction in light of the Supreme Court's subsequent decision in Skilling v. United States, 130 S. Ct. 2896 (2010). United States v. Ford, 639 F.3d 718 (6th Cir. 2011).Speaker of the Rhode Island House of RepresentativesWire fraud, bribery, and filing a false tax returnPennsylvania state senatorMail fraudAfter a jury convicted Fumo of mail fraud in 1980, the trial judge entered a judgment of acquittal due to a defect in the indictment. The Third Circuit affirmed on appeal. United States v. Camiel, 689 F.2d 31 (3d Cir. 1982). Fumo was again convicted of mail and wire fraud in 2009. United States v. Fumo, 639 F. Supp. 2d 544 (E.D. Pa. 2009), aff'd in relevant part, 655 F.3d 288