ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal judge Thursday froze the assets of Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., who was indicted this week on charges of soliciting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.
Among the 16 criminal counts Jefferson is facing is a criminal forfeiture count, and prosecutors have already said they will seek to recoup hundreds of thousands of dollars from Jefferson that they believe he obtained illicitly by peddling his influence to help broker business deals in Africa.
Jefferson is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in U.S. District Court.
The restraining order issued by U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III lists two savings accounts with Dryades Savings Bank and Chevy Chase Bank with a combined value of more than $470,000, plus certain tock holdings that Jefferson is barred from liquidating.
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