Former NRA Executive Pleads Guilty To Fraud, Agrees to Testify In NY Civil Trial
Authored by Allan Zhong via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
A settlement was reached on the same day as Wayne LaPierre, longtime NRA head, resigned.
Joshua Powell, former operations director of the National Rifle Association (NRA), has reached a settlement with the New York attorney general’s office over civil claims of fraud and abuse.
Mr. Powell was employed by the NRA between 2016 and January 2020.
The lawsuit brought by Letitia James, New York attorney general, alleged that Mr. Powell breached his fiduciary duties and failed to administer the charitable assets entrusted to his care by using his powers as an officer and senior executive of the NRA to covert charitable assets for the benefit of himself and his family members.
He admitted the alleged wrongdoing and agreed to pay $100,000 to the NRA, to not serve as an officer in a nonprofit or charitable organization, and to testify against the NRA at the demand of Ms. James’s office, according to the settlement.
Mr. Powell’s settlement was filed on the same day as the resignation of Wayne LaPierre, the longtime head of the NRA.
“Joshua Powell’s admission of wrongdoing and Wayne LaPierre’s resignation confirm what we have alleged for years: the NRA and its senior leaders are financially corrupt,” Ms. James said in a statement. “More than three years ago, my office sued the NRA and its senior management for financial abuse and mismanagement. These are important victories in our case, and we look forward to ensuring the NRA and the defendants face justice for their actions.”
NRA officials didn’t respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
Ms. James sued Mr. LaPierre and three co-defendants—NRA general counsel John Frazer, retired finance chief Wilson Phillips, and Mr. Powell—in 2020, alleging that they cost the organization tens of millions of dollars from questionable expenditures that included lucrative consulting contracts for ex-employees and gifts for friends and vendors.
Mr. LaPierre is accused of setting himself up with a $17 million contract with the NRA if he were to exit the organization and spending NRA money on travel consultants, luxury car services, and private flights for himself and his family—including more than $500,000 on eight trips to the Bahamas over three years.
As punishment, Ms. James is asking that Mr. LaPierre and the other defendants be ordered to reimburse the NRA and that they be banned from serving in leadership positions of any charitable organizations conducting business in New York, which would bar them from any NRA involvement.
The trial is scheduled to start on Jan. 8.
LaPierre Resigns
Mr. LaPierre, the NRA’s executive vice president and CEO, announced on Jan. 5 that he’s resigning, just days before the start of the trial over allegations that he treated himself to millions of dollars in private jet flights, yacht trips, African safaris, and other extravagant perks at the powerful gun rights organization’s expense.
“With pride in all that we have accomplished, I am announcing my resignation from the NRA,” Mr. LaPierre said in a statement released by the organization, which he said he was exiting for health reasons. “I’ve been a card-carrying member of this organization for most of my adult life, and I will never stop supporting the NRA and its fight to defend Second Amendment freedom. My passion for our cause burns as deeply as ever.”
Andrew Arulanandam, a top NRA lieutenant who has served as Mr. LaPierre’s spokesperson, will take on his roles on an interim basis, according to the organization.