Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Lester M. Crawford was charged Monday with criminal violations stemming from his failure to tell government ethics officers that he owned stock in companies regulated by the FDA.
His lawyer said Crawford intended to plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges during a federal court hearing this afternoon. "He accepts responsibility," said attorney Barbara Van Gelder. "It really was an oversight. This was a very complicated set of financial transactions and it wasn't always reported correctly."
Federal prosecutors charged Crawford on Monday with making false statements and conflict of interest, violations that each carry a possible sentence of a year in prison. But as part of a plea agreement, Crawford is expected to pay up to $50,000 in fines, his lawyer said.
Crawford, 68, had served two months as FDA commissioner before abruptly resigning. At the time, he gave no explanation other than his age, but his departure was evidently related to questions about his financial interests.
He was the agency's deputy commissioner from February 2002 to March 2004, when he was named acting commissioner; in July 2005, the Senate confirmed him to the top job.
LA Times
His lawyer said Crawford intended to plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges during a federal court hearing this afternoon. "He accepts responsibility," said attorney Barbara Van Gelder. "It really was an oversight. This was a very complicated set of financial transactions and it wasn't always reported correctly."
Federal prosecutors charged Crawford on Monday with making false statements and conflict of interest, violations that each carry a possible sentence of a year in prison. But as part of a plea agreement, Crawford is expected to pay up to $50,000 in fines, his lawyer said.
Crawford, 68, had served two months as FDA commissioner before abruptly resigning. At the time, he gave no explanation other than his age, but his departure was evidently related to questions about his financial interests.
He was the agency's deputy commissioner from February 2002 to March 2004, when he was named acting commissioner; in July 2005, the Senate confirmed him to the top job.
LA Times
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