A former U.S. governor and his wife are facing decades in prison after a jury ruled on Thursday that they took bribes from a businessman.
Virginia's ex-governor Bob McDonnell was convicted of 11 corruption charges after accepting loans, luxury clothes, and trips in exchange for promoting a dietary supplement company. His wife was found guilty of nine similar counts.
Once a rising star in the Republican party, McDonnell was governor of the southern U.S. state from 2010 until his indictment in January.
The 60-year-old and his wife Maureen accepted $177,000 from vitamin executive Jonnie Williams. Those gifts included an $11,000 dress purchase at Oscar de la Renta and nearly $6,000 at Louis Vuitton.
Williams also gifted the disgraced politician an engraved Rolex with the words "71st governor of Virginia."
McDonnell paid back part of the sum. But that did not stop prosecutors from pursuing charges.
The couple will be sentenced in January 2015. They each face up to 30 years in prison on most of the counts.
