Philadelphia congressman orchestrated series of frauds: prosecutor

Representative Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania and several associates orchestrated a series of fraudulent schemes to enrich the congressman and preserve his political career, federal prosecutors said at the start of his corruption trial on Monday.

"The congressman stole from federal agencies, from taxpayers, from nonprofit educational groups he created," Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Gray told a Philadelphia jury. "He even stole from his own political campaigns."

But defense lawyers said the government's case relied almost entirely on the word of two convicted felons who received favorable plea deals.

"Congressman Fattah had nothing to do with any of it," said Mark Lee, a lawyer for Fattah.

The 59-year-old Fattah, an 11-term congressman who represents parts of Philadelphia, lost the Democratic primary in April under the cloud of a wide-ranging indictment charging him with racketeering, bribery and fraud.

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