Jack Abramoff, perhaps the most infamous lobbyist in the world and one of the faces of George W. Bush-era corruption, is facing new federal charges in connection with a lobbying and wire fraud scheme involving a new cryptocurrency called AML Bitcoin. Abramoff was charged by criminal information in connection with the indictment of Rowland Marcus Andrade. As part of the scheme, according to federal prosecutors, Andrade claimed they had technology that “would allow the AML Bitcoin cryptocurrency to comply with anti-money laundering and know-your-customer laws and regulations.” A Justice Department press release on Thursday said that Abramoff “has filed a stipulated notice of an intent to change plea pursuant to a plea agreement,” signaling that Abramoff will likely plead guilty in the case. The criminal information alleged that Abramoff “made false and misleading statements to an undercover agent posing as a potential large purchaser of AML Bitcoin.”JEWEL SAMAD via Getty Images Former lobbyist Jack Abramoff pictured in Washington on May 16, 2012. Abramoff spent 43 months in prison after he was convicted in 2006 on influence peddling and corruption charges.

Source: Huffington Post June 25, 2020 20:48 UTC