Former State Sen. Karen Carter Peterson has been charged with wire fraud and reportedly signed a plea deal with federal prosecutors, according to The Advocate.
The former lawmaker, who had served in the state legislature since 1999, abruptly resigned in April, citing a mental health illness and gambling addiction that she has struggled with for decades.
The Advocate reported that the federal investigation into Peterson appears focused on Peterson's gambling issues and the potential misuse of funds from her political campaigns and the state Democratic Party, which she led from 2012 to 2020.
This is a developing story.
