Congressman's son sentenced in fraud case

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The son of a veteran Philadelphia congressman has been sentenced to five years in federal prison on bank and tax fraud convictions.

Chaka “Chip” Fattah Jr. was convicted in November of 22 counts that he misspent loans and some of the nearly $1 million in education funds he got as a school management subcontractor. The jury acquitted him of one count of tax fraud.

Fattah, who represented himself, contended the government built its case on a “deck of cards.”

He said authorities targeted him because of his big-spending lifestyle and also wanted to hurt his father.

Chaka Fattah Sr. is an 11-term Democratic congressman who is accused in an unrelated case of misusing federal grants and charitable donations.