Wikipedia:Today's featured article/December 16, 2008



The criminal trials of the LaRouche movement in the mid-1980s stemmed from federal and state investigations into the activities of American political activist Lyndon LaRouche and members of the LaRouche movement. They were charged with conspiring to commit fraud and soliciting loans they had no intention of repaying. LaRouche and his supporters disputed the charges, claiming the trials were politically motivated. The trial, described as a "courtroom extravaganza", was repeatedly delayed and finally ended in mistrial, after which a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, issued further indictments against LaRouche and five associates. After a short trial, they were convicted of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud on December 16, 1988. LaRouche, who was also convicted of tax evasion, was sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment; he entered prison in 1989 and was paroled five years later. In separate state trials in Virginia and New York, 13 associates received terms ranging from one month to 77 years. The Virginia state trials were described as the highest-profile cases that the state Attorney General's office had ever prosecuted. Fourteen states issued injunctions against LaRouche-related organizations, three of which were forced into bankruptcy after failing to pay contempt of court fines. (more...)

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