A New York state jury on Friday said the former long-serving National Rifle Association leader Wayne LaPierre – as well as other executives of the gun rights group – were liable in a a lawsuit centered on the organization’s lavish spending.
The jury found that LaPierre, who was the NRA’s CEO for three decades, misspent millions of dollars of the group’s money on private flights, vacations and other lavish perks. It ordered LaPierre to pay $4,351,231 in restitution to the group.
The decision came at the end of a six-week trial that began in early January, days after LaPierre announced his resignation from the NRA.
The jury found LaPierre liable for $5.4m, but it determined he had already paid back a little over $1m.
Retired NRA finance chief Wilson Phillips was ordered to pay $2m in damages to the NRA. NRA general counsel John Frazer was found to have violated his duties, but was not ordered to pay restitution.