Rep. Fortenberry indicted for concealing material facts, making false statements to FBI

The Federal grand jury indictment has officially charged Rep. Fortenberry.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – UPDATE: The Federal grand jury indictment has officially charged Rep. Fortenberry according to a tweet from the US Attorney’s Office in California.

Charges include one count of scheming to falsify and conceal material facts and two counts of making false statements to federal investigators looking into illegal contributions to his 2016 campaign, according to the tweet.

Federal grand jury indictment charges U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry with one count of scheming to falsify and conceal material facts and two counts of making false statements to federal investigators looking into illegal contributions to his 2016 campaign. Full announcement coming.

— US Attorney L.A. (@USAO_LosAngeles) October 19, 2021

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LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A California prosecutor is indicting Representative Jeff Fortenberry, accusing him of lying to the FBI. This is all according to a press release from Celeste, Fortenberry’s wife.

“Let me say it again: this accusation is entirely false. Jeff did not lie to the FBI. This has all the marks of being a political attack, a bogus charge manufactured to take him out,” wrote Celeste Fortenberry.

A Lebanese community in Los Angeles held a fundraiser for Fortenberry where he raised $37,000 at the event, $30,000 coming from a foreign national who gave attendees the money to give to Jeff, according to the Fortenberry press release.

“In other words, many of the donations were illegal. Again, Jeff had no idea,” wrote Celeste Fortenberry.

FBI agents originally contacted Fortenberry’s at their home in 2019, according to the Fortenberry press release.

“The agents said they needed his help. Jeff assumed he was one federal official helping other federal officials in the cause of justice. His instinct, as yours would be, was to help. So, he talked to them,” wrote Celeste Fortenberry.

Fortenberry plans to fight the claims brought upon him.

“I don’t know why we have been called to fight this fight. But we are fighting it, with everything we’ve got, for our family and for America,” wrote Celeste Fortenberry.

This all stems from an investigation into a controversial fundraising website.

Fortenberry released a video on YouTube about the claims.

This is a developing story, stick with Channel 8 for updates.