Aaron Broussard, who rode a populist wave to power as president of Jefferson Parish, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal corruption charges.
The pleas to conspiracy and theft charges resolve a case in which prosecutors charged Broussard abused his power as president of the New Orleans suburb.
He faces up to 15 years imprisonment. Sentencing was set for Feb. 25.
Broussard, 63, and former parish attorney Tom Wilkinson were charged with conspiring to give a lucrative parish job to Broussard's former wife, Karen Parker. Prosecutors charged Parker was paid $323,000 over six years for a job she wasn't qualified to hold and never performed.
Wilkinson and Parker are awaiting sentencing.