ALEXANDRIA, VA: A Federal jury on December 16, convicted Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr. of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service as well as supporters who loaned him millions of dollars.
After less than two days of deliberations, the jury also convicted six associates of LaRouche of mail fraud and conspiracy in the case that involved $30 million in defaulted loans. Prosecutors said they never had any intention of repaying them.
LaRouche, who did not testify, stood rigidly facing the jury with his arms crossed as a clerk recited the guilty verdict on all 13 counts against him. Afterward he sat down without a word or gesture.
Defense attorneys said they planned to appeal the convictions.
Federal District Judge Albert Y Byran Jr. set sentencing for January 27.
LaRouche who is often described as a political extremist has also been a presidential candidate. His group started as a radical left but took an extreme right turn in the seventies. It has a complex ideology now which says that the United States and the Soviet Union have betrayed the workers that Queen Elizabeth II is involved in a drug network and various prominent Americans like Henry Kissinger are Soviet Agents.
The group also brings out a periodical “The Executive Intelligence Review.” Its editors brought a book titled, “Derivative Assassination,” on the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who LaRouche claims was a personal friend of his.
The book, which has a rabidly anti Sikh tone, alleges that the assassination was planned and executed by agents of various intelligence agencies including those of Great Britain, Israel and America.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 30, 1988
