United States Attorney Dana J. Boente Eastern District of Virginia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFEBRUARY 20, 2015www.justice.gov/usao/vae/

Former First Lady of Virginia Sentenced to Prison

Wife of Former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell Sentenced to One Year and One Day in Prison in Public Corruption Case

RICHMOND, Va. The former First Lady of Virginia, Maureen G. McDonnell, 60, of Glen Allen, Virginia, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, for soliciting and obtaining payments, loans, gifts and other items from Star Scientific, a Virginia-based corporation, and Jonnie R. Williams Sr., Star Scientifics then chief executive officer, in violation of federal public corruption laws.Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Leslie R. Caldwell, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Departments Criminal Division; Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBIs Richmond Field Office; Richard Weber, Chief, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge James R. Spencer.Former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell and his wife, Maureen McDonnell, were convicted on Sept. 4, 2014, following a jury trial of one count of conspiracy to commit honest-services wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to obtain property under color of official right. Maureen McDonnell also was convicted of two counts of honest-services wire fraud and four counts of obtaining property under color of official right, while Robert McDonnell was convicted of three counts of honest-services wire fraud and six counts of obtaining property under color of official right. In total, Maureen McDonnell was convicted of eight of 13 counts and Robert McDonnell was convicted of 11 of 13 counts.According to the evidence presented at trial, from April 2011 through March 2013, the McDonnells participated in a scheme to use the former governors official position to enrich themselves and their family members by soliciting and obtaining payments, loans, gifts and other things of value from Star Scientific and Jonnie R. Williams Sr. The McDonnells obtained these items in exchange for the former governor performing official actions to legitimize, promote and obtain research studies for Stars products, including the dietary supplement Anatabloc.According to evidence presented at trial, the McDonnells obtained from Williams more than $170,000 in direct payments as gifts and loans, thousands of dollars in golf outings, and numerous items. As part of the scheme, Robert McDonnell arranged meetings for Williams with Virginia government officials, hosted and attended events at the Governors Mansion designed to encourage Virginia university researchers to initiate studies of Stars products and to promote Stars products to doctors, contacted other Virginia government officials to encourage Virginia state research universities to initiate studies of Stars products, and promoted Stars products and facilitated its relationships with Virginia government officials.The evidence further showed that the McDonnells attempted to conceal the things of value received from Williams and Star to hide the nature and scope of their dealings with Williams from the citizens of Virginia by, for example, routing gifts and loans through family members and corporate entities controlled by the former governor to avoid annual disclosure requirements.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. Dry, Jessica D. Aber, and Ryan S. Faulconer of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Deputy Chief David V. Harbach II of the Criminal Divisions Public Integrity Section. The case is being investigated by the FBIs Richmond Division, IRS-CI, and the Virginia State Police.A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:14cr12.