Enlarge image
Wayne LaPierre arrives at the Supreme Court in New York.
Photo: Adam Gray / EPA
The long-time head of the influential US gun lobby NRA, Wayne LaPierre, has been found guilty of embezzling funds, according to a report in the New York Times.
Accordingly, a jury in New York found LaPierre guilty on Friday of having caused the lobbying organization losses of $5.4 million (almost five million euros) through his misconduct.
According to the New York Times, he has already paid back part of this sum, and another $4.35 million is now to follow.
The New York prosecutor's office filed a lawsuit against LaPierre and other NRA managers in August 2020.
Attorney General Letitia James accused the defendants of using the lobbying organization as their "personal piggy bank" and spending millions on personal benefits such as private jets, expensive restaurants and family trips to the Bahamas.
LaPierre announced his resignation as NRA chief in January shortly before the trial began - due to health problems.
The New York Times describes the verdict as a “low point” for the NRA.
It is one of the most influential lobbying organizations in the USA and claims to have around five million members.
It has been resisting tightening US gun laws for decades, sometimes using highly controversial methods.
The NRA's influence is enormous: the organization can exert considerable pressure on politicians and is an important party donor.
Among other things, she supported Republican Donald Trump's presidential election campaign in 2016 with millions of dollars.
Attempts to tighten gun laws have repeatedly failed due to their resistance.