Gregory Turner Found Guilty of Accepting Money to Lobby on Behalf of Zimbabwe

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October 14, 2014

    On October 10, 2014, a federal jury in Illinois convicted Gregory Turner of accepting $3.4 million to lobby on behalf of Zimbabwe to convince US lawmakers to lift their sanctions on the African nation.  Officials from Zimbabwe, including current President Robert Mugabwe, allegedly struck a deal with Turner to retain his services.  In turn, he agreed to lobby to sway lawmakers to lift the sanctions.  While Turner was found innocent on two charges, including not registering as a foreign agent in the US for Zimbabwe and a conspiracy charge, the jury found that he breached the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.  This Act allows the President to “exercise Presidential authorities” when there is an “unusual and extraordinary threat” or a “declaration of national emergency”.  Turner violated this Act by assisting the foreign officials and could serve up to twenty years in prison and pay a fine of $1 million.

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