Civil rights scion and disgraced former congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. was officially charged today with, among other things, conspiracy to misuse around three-quarters of a million dollars in campaign funds. According to papers filed in a Washington, D.C., U.S. District Court today, Jackson, who was still a congressman at the time, used donor money to buy everything from a $43,000 gold Rolex to cashmere capes—capes, plural—to nearly $20,000 of Michael Jackson memorabilia. The documents allege that Jackson and a co-conspirator used a campaign credit card to make $582,772.58 of purchases for personal use, and that Jackson debited another $60,000 directly out of the campaign's account.
The documents filed today require the defendant to approve their filing beforehand, leading legal analysts to believe that Jackson is close to reaching a plea agreement. He faces up to 57 months in prison. Jackson's wife, Sandi, has already pleaded guilty to tax fraud.
(Scroll down to the last three pages to see an itemized list of some of Jackson's more absurd charges)
[Image via AP]