His wife, Philadelphia TV news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, took a leave after her husband's indictment and then quit in February. Chaka Fattah of racketeering, bribery, money laundering, and fraud. The jury convicted him of leading a five-person racketeering enterprise that included the loyal aides and political consultants who did his bidding, comingling campaign, nonprofit and government funds and using them as directed for Fattahs personal and political needs. Wisely, Chenault-Fattah, now 60, decided to stick to what she's known for, which is telling stories. Fattah and his wife used the $18,000 for a down payment on a Poconos vacation home. Andthe Department of Justice contends its investigators werent unfairly targeting the congressman. So the feds say hesecured a $1 million loan from then-Sallie Mae CEO Al Lord a big no-no in campaign finance and then paid back $600,000 of itusing charitable and federal funds through his nonprofit the Educational Advancement Alliance. In 2002, he was named to the PoliticsPA list of Best Dressed Legislators, noting his "excellence in haberdashery.". He also mentioned Rep. Curt Weldon, a Republican congressman from the Philly burbs and a veritable 9/11 trutherwho served in Congress until 2007 when he lost to Joe Sestak, now a senate candidate. He was convicted on 23 counts of racketeering, fraud, and other corruption charges on June 21, 2016, and resigned two days later. She was never charged and has denied wrongdoing. State Senator with National Vision. said Fattah had rightly given up his ranking position. In November 2013, Fattah was invited to attend as Keynote speaker at the Annual Cooperatives Conference, hosted by the NCBA. Fattahs position on the spending committee has allowed him to direct resources to programs hes prioritized over the years, whether its neuroscience and research involving brain function, youth mentoring expansion or education programs that have helped underprivileged families send their kids to college. How are they doing? "People will say, 'We miss seeing you on TV and it's such a shame what happened to your husband and your family," Chenault-Fattah said. Fattah used the money to pay personal expenses, including his taxes. Even though she's been off the air for almost three years, people still recognize Chenault-Fattah when she's out and about and question her about when she'll be back on air. Phillys hot podcast studio: How two longtime producers are growing the citys audio scene, Meet the 10 entrepreneurs vying set up shop inside Philly rec centers, Tax cuts, a new forensic lab, library service, hotspot help: Takeaways from Mayor Kenneys final city budget proposal, A real art project at Quinta Brunsons former school in West Philly mirrors the Abbott Elementary Mural Arts episode, Former Councilmember Bobby Henon sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for taking bribes, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Fattah was the lead Democrat responsible for funding some of the largest science agencies in the federal system (NASA, NSF, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Upstairs youll find three bedrooms and a full bath. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? The taskforce included both liberal and conservative Democrats, gun owners and Representatives from various cities. Once he lost that race and faced a large debt, Fattah and his inner circle illegally used federal and charitable funds to help repay the loan. In 1987, Fattah founded the Graduate Opportunity Initiative Conference, an annual three-day informational and scholarship conference which aims to significantly increase the enrollment of underrepresented graduate students studying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM fields). On December 12, 2016, Fattah was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The prize? We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 21 November. Read the news of the day in less than 10 minutes not that were counting. Fattah received an F rating from the National Rifle Association and an A+ rating from the Coalition on Gun Violence and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence for his positions on gun control. It's the former home of Congressman Chaka Fattah and his wife Renee Chenault-Fattah, a. The couple, married in 2001, have one daughter, Chandler Fattah. Fattah introduced "Communities Committed to College", H.R. Chaka Fattah Jr. gets 5 years in prison, ordered to pay $1.1 million While you have done much good, you also engaged in grave and widespread criminal activity, Bartle said. On August 9, 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia overturned Fattah's bribery convictions. But she fought to keep the figure private during her husband's mayoral run in 2007, and his federal financial disclosure reports do not specify how much she earns. [But] there are lots of people he hasnt done favors for, too. He was sentenced on Dec. 12, 2016 to 10 years in prison and he reported to Federal Correctional Institution, McKean on Jan. 25, 2017. He publicly supported the Bring Our Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Act a bill that called for bringing the troops home within six months and transitioning the Iraqis to self-government. Is This Chaka Fattah's Last Stand? - Philadelphia Magazine Each touts something Fattah did while in the United States Congress representing Philadelphia. Twenty-twoarticles and press releases are strewn across a dark wood table in the board room of Congressman Chaka Fattahs West Philly office. In 2005, Fattah opposed the War in Iraq and supported Congressman John Murtha's call for troop withdrawal. The Fattahs used the cash to help buy a $425,000 vacation house in the Poconos, the indictment says, but Chenault-Fattah kept the Porsche - and even renewed its registration and took it to an auto shop months after signing the title over to the lobbyist, Herbert Vederman. A handful of names circulated, from District Attorney Seth Williams to now former Mayor Michael Nutter. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. NBC10's Deanna Durante explains how. Fattah and several of his co-defendants, who include former campaign and congressional aides, obtained an illegal $1 million loan for him during the 2007 mayors race. Chaka Fattah Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family Tom Wolf and Mayor Jim Kenney, the latter ofwhom praised Evans for being someone who has built relationships and is not a divisive figure.. 20072023 Blackpast.org. A year earlier in 2015, Fattah was indicted on charges of bribery, money laundering, and bank and mail fraud, among other charges, making him vulnerable in the primary. Sure, Fattahis still a member of several subcommittees that handle appropriations. They have one daughter, Chandler Fattah. Fattah insists the Justice Department racketeering case is politically motivated. Committed to youth mentorship. Fattah's 10-year-prison sentence falls below the federal advisory guidelines, a range that Bartle said ran 15 years and eight months to 19 years and seven months. On June 21, 2016, Fattah was convicted of all charges, including racketeering conspiracy, bribery, bank fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a financial institution, and falsification of records. Fattah insists the Justice Department, though led by fellow Democrats, has been out to get him and his family for years. In November 2006, he declared his candidacy for Mayor of Philadelphia, where two-term incumbent Mayor John F. Street was barred from re-election by term limits, amid pressure from Democratic voters to keep his Congressional seat in order to maintain a Philadelphia representative on the powerful Appropriations Committee in the House. The program offers Philadelphians the chance to exchange firearms for vouchers for groceries or other goods. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. He then repaid some of it with federal grant money from NASA that he had steered to an education nonprofit run by loyal former staffers. It was recently announced that his wife who was not charged was no longer at NBC 10 after a six-month period on leave from the station, and Fattah Jr. is in a jail cell. All rights reserved. Committed to funding neuroscience research. May 17, 2021 After being sentenced to 10 years in prison for a 23-count conviction for racketeering, fraud and other corruption charges, disgraced former Congressman Chaka Fattah was released from prison last July after about one year. Anecdotally, from what Ive seen, I wouldnt count him as the most popular of Philadelphia politicians., Retired Councilwoman Marian Tasco didnt mince words in 2006 when Fattah was in the process of running for mayor. It is unclear but the Federal Bureau of Prisons database shows he is in a residential reentry center in Philadelphia. They told authorities the money covered the friends purchase of a Porsche owned by Fattahs wife, but the Porsche never left their garage. This is my tuition and tax credit program this has helped millions of families. If BP helped inform you, join as a member today! Two of Fattahs political consultants pleaded guilty in the case and testified against him. Fattah, a Democrat formerly representing Pennsylvanias second congressional district, was found guilty in June 2016. or redistributed. Fattahmakes sure to note, too, that Sims raised $230,000 to challenge him for Congressthis year and didnt make it to filing day. Chaka Fattah is a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Updated at 3:25 p.m. The credit is unique in that families under a set income without a tax liability are eligible for a tax rebate. Time Magazine named Fattah one of the 50 most promising leaders in the country. Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman, is married to longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. Following this conference, his mother decided to change his name to Chaka Fattah, to acknowledge their African ethnicity. makes sure to note, too, that Sims raised $230,000 to challenge him for Congressthis year and didnt make it to filing day. Labeled as "Person E" throughout the 85-page indictment, Chenault-Fattah, one of the station's most visible personalities and anchor of the 4 and 6 p.m. broadcasts, is portrayed as a participant in a scheme to falsely report the sale of her 1989 Porsche Carrera convertible to a lobbyist for $18,000. He reported for prison at Federal Correctional Institution, McKean near Lewis Run, Pennsylvania on January 25, 2017. The long-running criminal scheme was related to paying back a loan from Fattahs unsuccessful run for Philadelphia mayor in 2007. 3941-45 W. Netherfield Rd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19129 [Connie Gillespie | ElfantWissahickon Realtors], Philadelphia Shops and Resources Thatll Help Outfit Your Dream Home Office Space, The Most Walkable Philadelphia Suburbs and Neighborhoods. His wife is Renee Chenault-Fattah (m. 2001). Former U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., was released from a federal lockup near Scranton last month to serve the rest of his sentence in either a halfway house or under house arrest in Philadelphia, the U.S. Bureau of Prisonshas confirmed. The Court of Appeals remanded for a new trial as to certain bribery and money laundering counts, concluding that the jury had not been properly instructed regarding official acts in a bribery context. has allowed him to spend little on campaigning. He was never challenged in the Democratic primary until 2016, when he lost to Dwight E. Evans. Disgraced ex-Rep. Fattah released from federal prison, will serve rest Fattah and his wife, Renee Chenault Fattah, also allegedly used bribery proceeds to "close on a vacation home" in the Poconos by falsely disguising an . A small donation would help us keep this available to all. Politician. In 1994, Fattah decided to challenge Blackwell in the Democratic primary. In return, Fattah reportedly pushed for an ambassadorial position for Vederman or for appointment to the U.S. Trade Commission, including hand-delivering a letter to President Barack Obama on the issue. He brings up that former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush spent $136 million compared to Donald Trumps $11 million. Co-ops have a broad base and connection to community in the Philadelphia area. Fattah resigned from office on June 23, 2016, following a racketeering conviction. At 66 years old, Chaka Fattah height not available right now. All Rights Reserved. "Almost every chronic illness hits us harder," she said, referring to African Americans. The jury in his case found the congressman took an illegal $1 million loan to prop up a failed 2007 run for Philadelphia mayor. On December 12, 2016, Fattah was sentenced to 10 years in prison as a result of the conviction. Hes a member of the Democratic political establishment in both Philadelphia and Washington, and predicts that if things go his way, hes next in line to take over as the Democratic chairman of the Committee on Appropriations in the House. Congressional pensions are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). However,he was once the top Democrat on the group that handles cash flow to Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies. The trial was originally scheduled for May 2, 2016, but in April a judge had the date pushed back to May 16 to give the defendants time to review the excess of more than 100,000 documents accrued by the prosecution. The Philadelphia Democrat, who was first elected to . The 22-year Congressman, indicted on federal corruption charges, grants a rare interview as he faces an unprecedented challenge. Theyre kind of dealing with the position, Fattah said. Innocent until proven guilty has, predictably, become the congressmans mantra. But this time around, she intends to be an advocate forcauses about which she's passionate. Chenault-Fattah is focusing her attention on Alzheimer's disease and the disproportionate way it affects people of color. The Fattah campaign defended itself, claiming that it had followed less restrictive federal rules in spending the money, but eventually returned a portion of the excess contributions to the exploratory committee following a settlement with the city's Board of Ethics. Dianna Marder, Party Politics: Fattah, Chenault exchange vows with help from their children, the congressman and news anchor held a big church wedding,The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 8, 2001, Congressman Chaka Fattahs son taken off to serve years in prison for fraud,NBCPhiladelphia.com, February 2, 2016,https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Chaka-Fattah-Jr-Fraud-Sentencing-Federal-Court-367332741.html; Bill Clark, Chaka Fattah former Pennsylvania congressman gets 10 years in federal prison for corruption, CBSNews.com, December 12, 2016,https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chaka-fattah-former-pennsylvania-congressman-10-years-prison-corruption/. Voting ina new congressman would be, in his words, a Chip Kelly trade something that, roughly speaking, changes the team but for the worse. Committed to funding neuroscience research. Bartle ordered Fattah to pay . Democrat Rep. Dwight Evans now holds Fattah's seat in Congress. (That) has nothing to do with the fact that Ive been found on the wrong side of these questions by a jury.. Prosecutors say Fattah tried to conceal an $18,000 bribe from Vederman by pretending he sold a Porsche to the man. So, how much is Chaka Fattah worth at the age of 66 years old? The #WasteOfTheDay is presented by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com. Fattah, 60, served 22 years in Congress . His father said hes spoken to his son, who is looking forward to appealing his own federal case. Congressman Chaka Fattah's wife, NBC10 News Anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah responds to allegations detailed in a Federal Indictment against her husband. In 2005, Fattah introduced the bill again with H.R. save for his 2007 bid for mayor. Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., walks after leaving the federal courthouse in Philadelphia, Tuesday, June 21. We, journalists, typically know a little bit about alot of subjects. Chenault-Fattah, 57, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. In this May 7, 2015 photo, Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., speaks during a My Brother's Keeper town hall at the School of the Future in Philadelphia. In the 2011-12 election period, he spent $162,000 while the average winner of a House seat spent 10 times that, some $1.6 million. They include former Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Herbert Vederman, of Palm Springs, Florida, who had sought the ambassadorship. Pennsylvania Center for the Book On December 12, 2016, Fattah was sentenced to 10 years in prison. And his family has fallen with him. Thats as he continues to collect his pension, as no member of Congress has ever been stripped of their pension. Fattah's third wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, is a former Philadelphia television news broadcaster. The only poll conducted so far suggests Evans is in the lead, but theres a caveat: Evans, who didnt respond to a request for comment, paid for that poll. We will update Chaka Fattah's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. After emerging as a mayoral candidate, Fattah came under fire from the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police for his repeated calls to grant a new trial to Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of murdering police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981; he also was criticized for possibly unethical campaign spending, based on new campaign finance rules adopted by the city of Philadelphia. Former Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah (Pa.) was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday by a federal judge in Philadelphia. He talks about how charges were dropped againsta Temple professor recently accused ofbeing a Chinese spy. The nonprofit efforts including a NASA-funded mobile science classroom emblazoned with Fattahs name that roamed Philadelphia during the mayoral campaign helped promote Fattahs political career, prosecutors said in their sentencing memo. Since 2011, the Congressman was able to negotiate an increase of $30M to investment in DOJ programs that fund groups including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. I got to ask former WCAU-TV anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah anything I wanted about Alzheimer's disease. Fattah, 60, served 22 years in Congress before losing a Democratic primary in April. Chenault-Fattah, who is also a lawyer,. Rep. Chaka Fattah found guilty of all racketeering, fraud - PhillyVoice By Fattahs own assessment, he could soonhold the purse strings of a nation in his hands. The biggest deal is: What did you do?, Nice to see you. When I reached out to her on Tuesday, she was about to take part in a round-table discussion organized by Us Against Alzheimer's. was indicted on federal corruption charges on Wednesday in connection with fraud around his unsuccessful 2007 campaign for mayor of Philadelphia. Suddenly, the popular broadcaster was a stay-at-home mom with a whole lot of time on her hands and a non-compete clause that sidelined her for a least a year. Bartle noted that Fattah and his wife, a TV news anchor, made more than $500,000 in combined income, placing them in the top 1 percent of Americans. He talks about how former Mayor Michael Nutter. He defeated the incumbent 58%-42%. His parents divorced, and his mother married David Fattah, changed her name to Falaka Fattah, and changed her sons name as well. After Fattah rattles off his accomplishments, he draws comparisons to others he says were unfairly targeted by law enforcement. As of September 5, 2010, none of the House committees have scheduled any action on the latest bill. December 12, 2016 / 12:36 PM Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Current law requires that schools within the same district provide comparable educational services; this bill would extend that basic protection to the State level by requiring comparability across school districts. And I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that," she told me. Fattah has long been attempting to have his sentence one of the longest ever imposed for a member of Congress reduced. The indictment says Chenault-Fattah e-mailed Vederman in January 2012 about purchasing her car. Upon entering the political world at age 25, he became a lawmaker and served six years as Pennsylvania state representative, followed by six years as state senator. Wheres he been?, Love Philly? President Obama has called for making the tax credit permanent. Twenty-twoarticles and press releases are strewn across a dark wood table in the board room of Congressman Chaka Fattahs West Philly office. All the while he did it with his own little West Philadelphia political machine, with the support ofpeople like Hughes and Councilwoman Cindy Bass. All rights reserved. He also wrote the legislation for the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC). From 1995 to 2016, Fattah served as the U.S. Representative from Pennsylvanias 2nd Congressional District. Social Activism Brings a Name Change. His bill calls for $25 million federal investment and technical assistance to cooperatives through a new National Cooperative Development Center. GEAR UP has become the largest pre-college awareness program in the nations history and has given more than $2 billion toward the educational advancement of low-income students. The latest property being unloaded in the Disgraced Pol Hit Parade went on the market last Tuesday. See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2010#District 2. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson. Market data provided by Factset. Who Is Chaka Fattah's Wife? After being sentenced to 10 years in prison for a 23-count conviction for racketeering, fraud and other corruption charges, disgraced former Congressman Chaka Fattah was released from prison last July after about one year. But this is only part of the story. Meanwhile, Evans had $303,000 on hand and Muroff had $208,000. He represented the 2nd Congressional District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1994 to 2016. His political life. While it was one the harshest sentences ever handed out to a one-time member of Congress, federal prosecutors had asked for a longer term behind bars. Fattahs third wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, is a former Philadelphia television news broadcaster. A jury has decided that based on the evidence presented to them that I am guilty of charges presented by the government. He says at least 25 million people have been impacted by his programs (there are 715,000 people in hisdistrict, 1.5 million in Philadelphiaand 12.8 million in the state), and that there isnt a single person in the citywho has not been touched in some significant, positive way by something he put in place.