Benjamin Burris, an orthodontist who formerly operated offices in Arkansas, has been indicted in a bribery and fraud scheme involving payments of $157,500 to former state Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, federal prosecutors announced Monday.
The purposes of the scheme were for Hutchinson to accept the money in exchange for taking official legislative action, including drafting and introducing laws and pressuring legislators, to favor Burris, 47, and his businesses, according to a news release from the U.S. Justice Department.
Burris has been charged with 14 counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. He will be arraigned later and has not entered a plea.
Hutchinson, nephew of Gov. Asa Hutchinson, pleaded guilty June 25 to felony bribery charges in connection with Burris’ orthodontist clinics.
Burris is now a resident of Windermere, Fla., but operated orthodontist clinics in Fayetteville, Fort Smith and other Arkansas cities.
Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for details.