A federal jury convicted former U.S. Representative Rick Renzi on Tuesday of corruption charges. Renzi was charged with 32 felony counts of wire fraud, conspiracy and extortion.
Renzi, a Republican, represented Arizona's 1st Congressional District from 2003 until 2009. He chose not to run for re-election in 2008 while facing the federal indictment.
Prosecutors said that Renzi, while in office in 2005, held hostage possible land swaps involving public land unless private land owned by a former business associate was also purchased
According to the indictment, an investment group agreed to pay $4.6 million for the associate's land, who then paid Renzi $733,000 for his help.
Renzi was also accused of embezzling $400,000 in premiums from his family insurance business to fund his 2002 Congressional campaign.
Renzi was found guilty on 17 counts. He was acquitted on the remaining charges
The jury reached a verdict after four days of deliberations.