Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, have been indicted on federal corruption charges, a spokesman for the U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday.
The 14-count indictment includes conspiracy, wire fraud, and other charges related to gifts he and his family received from political donor Johnnie Williams, CEO of pharmaceutical company Star Scientific, spokesman Peter Carr said.
McDonnell has maintained he did nothing illegal.
"I deeply regret accepting legal gifts and loans from Mr. Williams, all of which have been repaid with interest, and I have apologized for my poor judgment for which I take full responsibility," McDonnell said in response to the indictment.
"However, I repeat emphatically that I did nothing illegal for Mr. Williams in exchange for what I believed was his personal generosity and friendship. I never promised -- and Mr. Williams and his company never received -- any government benefit of any kind from me or my administration."
The Roman Catholic left office earlier this month after four years in the governor's office. Virginia law limits governors to a single term.
In July, he announced he had returned more than $120,000 in loans and other gifts from Williams.
In his final State of the Commonwealth address McDonnell said, "I have prayed fervently that the collective good we have done over the past four years will not be obscured by this ordeal."
"I'll remember we tried to follow the words of Jesus in the Scriptures to love your neighbor as yourself, and to care for the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the prisoners, the little children, the mentally ill," he added.
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