Fattah’s wife likely had role in bribery scheme: court docs

Renee Chenault-Fattah, U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah’s news anchor wife is mentioned in an 85-page federal indictment charging her husband with bribery and wire fraud — but not by name.

According to the documents, a witness known as “Person E” bought a Poconos vacation home with the long-time Democratic congressman. But while the bank was considering a loan for that purchase, it wanted to know how Fattah came into $18,000 he was using to close the deal.

Prosecutors said it was a bribe, Fattah said he had sold “Person E’s” 1989 convertable Porsche Carrera.

Property records in Pike County show that Fattah bought the $425,000vacation home with his wife, a NBC 10 anchorwoman — indicating that she is “Person E.”

Chenault-Fattah is not charged with wrongdoing in the case, but the indictment raises questions about what she knew of a bribery scheme laid out in the indictment.

Fattah is accused of accepting bribe the alleged $18,000 bribe from lobbyist Herbert Vederman.

The house the Fattah’s purchased is, according to Zillow, a two-bedroom, two-bath, 4,000 square-foot house with views of the Delaware River in Shohola, Pa. sitting on four acres.

Accordng to court documents, Chenault-Fattah emailed Vederman, offering to sell him the vehicle.

Fattah also presented a bill of sale to the bank in which Chenault-Fattahsigned as the car’s seller, according to the indictment.

According to the indictment, the Porsche was still in the family’s garage when federal agents visited the home in March 2014, 26 months after the sale.

NBC10did not have a comment when asked. A source at the station said she is not covering the story of her husband’s indictment and will be taking a few days off.