How much money did Wayne LaPierre cost the NRA? Jury finds the gun rights group and its former CEO liable for corruption

A jury in New York found a former National Rifle Association (NRA) leader, Wayne LaPierre guilty of corruption on Friday, February 23, 2024. The former CEO is ordered to repay $4.4 million to the organization and his co-defendant and former finance chief, Wilson Phillips is ordered to repay $2 million.

New York Attorney General, Letitia James sued both the gun rights group and LaPierre for violating state laws in 2020, investing the organization's not-for-profit status under her authority in 2020. She announced her victory in an X post, writing:

"In a major victory, my office won our case against the NRA and its senior leadership for years of corruption and greed."

The organization was founded in 1871, as a recreational group aimed to "promote and encourage rifle shooting." It has since become a powerful political group.

LaPierre was liable to pay $5.4M, of which, the jury determined, he already paid back a little over $1 million.

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Wayne LaPierre stepped down from his role as NRA head, a position he held since 1991, just before the trial began

In addition to LaPierre and Phillips, general counsel John Frazer and NRA itself were co-defendants. Wayne LaPierre was the CEO of the gun rights group for over 30 years, stepping down on the eve of the trial, last month. Although Frazer was found to have violated his job duties, he was neither fined nor expelled from the company.

During the six-week-long trial, defense attorneys called the accusations a "baseless, premeditated attack" and a politically motivated "witch hunt" by Ms James.

According to Forbes, James accused the executives of scheming to dodge IRS reporting and funding their lavish lifestyle, "wasting significant charitable resources." AG's office argued LaPierre "abused his position," receiving millions of dollars for personal benefits. They claimed he hired executives with a "lack of skills" to help facilitate the same.

"LaPierre spent million on luxury travel, private planes, expensive clothes, insider contracts, and other perks for himself and his family," wrote James.

According to the Associated Press, jurors discovered that the NRA had misrepresented tax returns, neglected to manage its assets, and had broken New York law's protections for whistleblowers.

Several whistleblowers including former president, Oliver North, had expressed concerns about the organization. As per the Associated Press, another executive, Joshua Powell had settled with the state, agreeing to testify during the trial, pay the NRA $100,000, and cede any involvement with the nonprofits.

James initially sought to have the organization dissolve. However, in 2022 Manhattan Judge Joel M. Cohen ruled that the allegations did not warrant the same.

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In a statement, the organization remarked that it was "victimized by certain former vendors and ‘insiders’ who abused the trust placed in them."

AG James is further seeking independent monitoring of NRA's administration of charitable assets. Additionally, she wants to prevent Frazer and the organization from raising money for any charitable organization that operates in the state, as well as for LaPierre and Phillips from holding leadership positions in any charitable organizations in New York.

These would be decided in the next phase of the Supreme Court Trial.