Former NRA chief Wayne LaPierre misspent gun rights group’s money, owes more than $4M, jury finds

By JAKE OFFENHARTZ
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The longtime head of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, misspent millions of dollars of the organization’s money, using the funds to pay for an extravagant lifestyle that included exotic getaways and trips on private planes and superyachts, a New York jury determined Friday, ordering him to repay almost $4.4 million. Jurors also found that the NRA omitted or misrepresented information in its tax filings and violated New York law by failing to adopt a whistleblower policy. NRA general counsel John Frazer and retired finance chief Wilson Phillips were also defendants. Phillips was ordered to pay $2 million in damages to the NRA. Frazer was found to have violated his duties, but was not ordered to repay anything.