The National Rifle Association (NRA) and two high-ranking executives have been held accountable in a civil corruption trial, with a New York jury ruling for the repayment of $6.35m (£5m).
In the trial, it was established that former NRA leader Wayne LaPierre incurred significant financial losses for the organization through extravagant personal spending. New York Attorney General Letitia James accused both the NRA and Mr. LaPierre of violating state laws.
Prior to the trial’s commencement, Mr. LaPierre resigned from his leadership position. The jury’s decision on Friday determined that Mr. LaPierre was responsible for a total of $5.4m in losses, with just over $1m already repaid. He is now mandated to reimburse $4.35m.
In the civil corruption trial, former NRA finance chief Wilson “Woody” Phillips, general counsel John Frazer, and the NRA itself were co-defendants.
Mr. Phillips has been directed to repay $2m. Wayne LaPierre, the former NRA chief executive of over 30 years, remained stoic in court while receiving the verdict.
John Frazer, the general counsel, was found not to have caused financial harm to the organization, and the jury did not mandate any repayment from him.
The NRA responded to the verdict by asserting that it aligns with their longstanding contention that they were victimized by certain former vendors and insiders who betrayed the trust placed in them by the association.
The NRA highlighted that the jury did not impose any financial penalties and did not find cause to remove Mr. Frazer, the only remaining defendant still working at the NRA. The organization emphasized its recent adoption of new policies and accounting controls.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, in response to the trial outcome, expressed that Mr. LaPierre and the NRA are finally being held accountable for what she characterized as rampant corruption and self-dealing.
Originally aiming for the NRA’s dissolution, the attorney general’s office filed the lawsuit in 2020, but a judge intervened to prevent that action. Throughout the trial, defense attorneys for the three individuals and the NRA portrayed the proceedings as a baseless, premeditated attack and a politically motivated witch hunt by the Democratic AG, Ms. James.
In her closing arguments, Assistant Attorney General Monica Connell contended that the NRA, being a registered charity, should have allocated its funds to its primary mission rather than extravagant expenses. She emphasized that expressing regret and proposing to return some of those expenses did not absolve the organization of its actions. Connell stated, “Saying you’re sorry now, saying maybe you’ll put back a couple of those cookies, doesn’t mean you didn’t take the cookies.”
Throughout the six-week trial, prosecutors presented specific expenditures, alleging that Wayne LaPierre and other executives treated NRA funds as their “personal piggy bank.” The evidence included Mr. LaPierre’s frequent private plane trips to the Bahamas, totaling $500,000 from NRA funds. Other expenses highlighted in the trial involved helicopter journeys to avoid traffic when attending car races, as well as expenditures on landscaping and anti-mosquito treatments at Mr. LaPierre’s residence.
The trial highlighted additional expenditures, including gifts for friends and family, as well as costs for hair and makeup styling for Mr. LaPierre’s wife. The next step involves the judge, without a jury, determining whether independent monitors and experts will be appointed to supervise the NRA’s charitable assets and administration.
While the NRA is based in Virginia, its incorporation falls under New York City jurisdiction. The oversight of any non-profit organization, including the NRA, falls under the responsibility of the attorney general’s Charities Bureau.
Established in 1871 with the initial purpose of promoting rifle shooting as a recreational activity, the NRA has evolved into one of the most influential political organizations in the United States.
