A jury found Wayne LaPierre and the National Rifle Association liable in a New York state civil corruption trial Friday, ruling that LaPierre misappropriated millions of dollars when he was NRA chief executive officer to finance a lavish lifestyle while the gun-rights organization neglected proper financial management.
After five days of deliberations, the jury held that LaPierre cost the NRA $5.4 million, even accounting for the $1 million he had previously repaid. The trial in the lawsuit brought by New York attorney general Letitia James in 2020 came after a three-year investigation into the NRA, which is registered as a nonprofit organization in New York.
LaPierre was found to have used NRA money to pay for vacations, private jets, and yachts, among other personal expenses. He also used the money to pay for helicopters to NASCAR races and landscaping for his house.
The NRA — which has found itself with financial troubles over the past several years — attempted to file for bankruptcy in 2021, but a federal judge rejected the motion, arguing that it was not filed in good faith. LaPierre himself tendered his resignation as CEO in January, citing health concerns.
James had the NRA in her sights before assuming office, calling it a “terrorist organization” and promising to investigate the group. After James filed the suit in 2020, an NRA spokesperson said in a statement that LaPierre was “required to travel private for security purposes, in accordance with NRA Board policy.” The spokesperson also said the former CEO was “asked by the NRA’s former advertising agency to incur certain wardrobe expenses given his enormous public profile.”
During closing statements on February 15, LaPierre’s attorney asserted — citing James’s vow to investigate the NRA — that the lawsuit was politically motivated, saying, “This is a story made up by a person with an agenda that wanted him off the field.”