From Reuters:
Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, the longest serving U.S. Republican senator ever, was charged on Tuesday with seven counts of making false statements, according to a federal grand jury indictment.
A federal law enforcement official said the Justice Department was planning a news conference shortly to discuss the charges against Stevens, a 40-year veteran of the Senate and former chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee.
A 28-page indictment outlining the charges released by the Justice Department said Stevens provided false information in financial disclosure forms he filed with the Senate that required him to report items of value he had received. He filed the forms between 1999 and 2006.
"Stevens knew the requirements of the financial disclosure forms and knowingly and intentionally sought to conceal and cover up his receipt of things of value by filing financial disclosure forms that contained false statements and omissions concerning Stevens' receipt of these things of value," the indictment said.
